费力 fèilì to expend a great deal of effort
How to remember 费力: 费 expenses + 力 power = to expend a great deal of effort.
Characters
How it is used
- To take a lot of effort / be strenuous - 费力不讨好 (fèilì bù tǎohǎo) hard work with no thanks; 说话很费力 (shuōhuà hěn fèilì) it's a strain to speak.
- Verb-object (费+力), splits: 费了很大力 (fèi le hěn dà lì) took great effort.
- Near 费劲 (fèijìn); 费力 is a touch more neutral/standard, 费劲 more colloquial. Contrast 省力 (shěnglì, effort-saving).
Example sentences
- 我们毫不费力地想出了密码。 Wǒmen háobúfèilì de xiǎng chū le mìmǎ.We easily figured out the password.