费劲
fèi jìn · HSK 7
to require effort
💪😤 fei jin = waste energy — spending force just to get through it
费 means to spend or waste, 劲 means strength or energy. Together they describe something that eats up your effort — like pushing through a task that fights you every step of the way.
费 — 弓 bow + 弗 (phonetic 'fú/fèi')
费 is a phono-semantic compound. The bottom 贝 (cowrie shell, ancient money) gives the meaning 'cost/expense,' while 弗 on top supplies the sound. Originally it referred to spending money or wasting resources, and today it means 'fee,' 'expense,' or 'to consume.'