expense
更新时间:2026-07-12 04:34:32 栏目: 英语词典
expense 是英语中表示“花费、开销”的核心词汇，既可指具体金钱支出，也可抽象化为“代价”。其英式发音为 /ɪkˈspens/，美式发音为 /ɪkˈspɛns/，复数形式 expenses 更常用来表示各类具体费用[6]。
核心释义与用法
名词（最常用）：表示金钱、时间或精力的消耗。
具体费用：指实际支出的钱，如日常开销、业务费等。
Running a car is a big expense.（养车是笔大开销）
Her travel expenses were covered by the company.（她的差旅费由公司承担）
抽象代价：强调为某事物牺牲的利益或付出的代价，常用搭配 at the expense of（以…为代价）。
He built his career at the expense of his health.（他以健康为代价成就了事业）[8]
动词（较少用）：意为“把…作为开支勾销”，用于财务语境。
The company expensed the new equipment.（公司将新设备列为开支）[9]
常见搭配与短语
固定短语：
at the expense of：以牺牲…为代价（The project succeeded at the expense of workers' rights.）[8]
spare no expense：不惜一切代价（They spared no expense to make the wedding perfect.）[8]
expense account：报销账户（He used his expense account for business meals.）[4]
场景搭配：
生活类：daily expense（日常费用）、living expenses（生活费）[6]
商务类：operating expense（运营成本）、travel expenses（差旅费）[4]
特殊场景：all-expenses-paid trip（全额报销的旅行）
易混词辨析
| 词汇 | 核心区别 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| expense | 强调总支出额，可指抽象代价，多用于复数形式表示各类费用 | Her monthly expenses exceed her income. |
| cost | 侧重“成本”，可指生产或获取某物的花费，主语多为物 | The cost of the laptop is $1,000. |
| fee | 指特定服务的费用（如学费、手续费） | The lawyer's fee was too high. |
| fare | 专指交通费用（车票、船票等） | The bus fare is $2. |
例句精选
日常场景：Why go to the expense of buying a new phone when yours still works?（你的手机还能用，何必花钱买新的？）
商务场景：Can I claim this meal on my expense account?（这顿饭能走报销吗？）
抽象意义：The policy improved efficiency at the expense of employee satisfaction.（该政策提高了效率，却降低了员工满意度）
从“报销账单”到“人生取舍”，expense 的用法贯穿生活与工作。记住它的核心：不仅是钱的数字，更是选择的代价。下次描述支出时，不妨试试用 spare no expense 表达“不惜成本”，或用 at the expense of 强调取舍关系，让表达更精准生动。