浪費|ろうひrouhi[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectivewaste; extravagance
    それは確たしかに時間じかんの浪費ろうひです。↗
    It's certainly a waste of time.
Conjugation
Dictionary form浪費する(ろうひする)
Polite (masu)浪費します(ろうひします)
Negative (nai)浪費しない(ろうひしない)
polite (masen)浪費しません(ろうひしません)
classical zu / nu浪費せず・浪費せぬ(ろうひせず・ろうひせぬ)
Past (ta)浪費した(ろうひした)
polite (mashita)浪費しました(ろうひしました)
Past negative (nakatta)浪費しなかった(ろうひしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)浪費しませんでした(ろうひしませんでした)
Te form浪費して(ろうひして)
Potential浪費できる(ろうひできる)
Passive浪費される(ろうひされる)
Causative浪費させる(ろうひさせる)
Causative passive浪費させられる(ろうひさせられる)
Conditional (ba)浪費すれば(ろうひすれば)
tara浪費したら(ろうひしたら)
Volitional浪費しよう(ろうひしよう)
polite (mashou)浪費しましょう(ろうひしましょう)
Imperative浪費しろ(ろうひしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym空費くうひWrittenWritten/formal prose. Wasting time or money for nothing, as in 「時間の空費」; leans toward futile, pointless waste.
  • Synonym無駄遣いむだづかいNeutralColloquial. Spending money carelessly; also 「時間の無駄遣い」. The most common everyday word, while 「浪費」 sounds more written.
  • Synonym徒費とひWrittenWritten/formal prose for futile spending or outlay; rare in modern Japanese.
  • Related不経済ふけいざいNeutralNeutral. Being uneconomical or poor value, as in 「不経済な使い方」; leans toward inefficiency rather than extravagance.
  • Related冗費じょうひWrittenWritten/formal prose for unnecessary, redundant expense; leans toward administrative and budget contexts.
  • Related乱費らんぴWrittenWritten/formal prose for squandering money recklessly; leans toward lavish, extravagant spending.
  • Related蕩尽とうじんWrittenWritten/formal prose for squandering a family fortune until it is gone, as in 「財産を蕩尽する」; much stronger in degree.
  • Antonym節約せつやくNeutralNeutral. Economising, cutting out waste and reducing costs; the direct opposite of 「浪費」.
  • Antonym倹約けんやくNeutralWritten/formal prose for thrift and frugality, as in 「倹約家」; the opposite of 「浪費」.
  • Antonym貯蓄ちょちくNeutralNeutral. Saving money, setting it aside; the opposite of 「浪費」 in the sense of spending versus saving.

Use 「浪費」 for wasting money, time or effort outright, as in 「時間の浪費」「浪費癖」. In everyday speech, careless spending is 「無駄遣い」; squandering a fortune is 「蕩尽」. 空費, 徒費, 冗費 and 乱費 are formal written alternatives. The opposites are 「節約」 and 「倹約」; 「貯蓄」 contrasts as saving rather than spending.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 無駄むだに使つかうこと。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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