Dong Chinese dictionary

fèi

expenses

Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 弗 represents the sound.

Components

弗 Sound component

fú

not

貝 Meaning component

bèi

sea shell

In ancient China shells were used as currency.

Evolution

Bronze script

Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

fèi

expenses, expenditures, fee; to cost; to spend; fee; wasteful; expenses

Fèi

surname Fei

Most common words with 費

Sources