====== hàoshí: 耗时 - Time-consuming, To take time ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** haoshi, 耗时, time-consuming in Chinese, takes a long time, how to say time-consuming in Mandarin, Chinese word for lengthy, efficient vs inefficient Chinese, 耗时 vs 花时间, HSK 5 vocabulary.
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **耗时 (hàoshí)**, which means "time-consuming" or "to take a lot of time". This guide breaks down how to use **耗时** to describe projects, tasks, or processes that are lengthy and potentially inefficient. We'll explore its character origins, cultural significance in modern, efficiency-focused China, and compare it to the more neutral phrase "花时间 (huā shíjiān)". With 10 practical example sentences, you'll master this key HSK 5 term and understand its nuances in everyday conversation and business contexts.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** hàoshí
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Adjective
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To take up or consume a significant amount of time; time-consuming.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **耗时 (hàoshí)** is the perfect word to describe something that "eats up" your time. It carries the feeling that time is a resource being expended or drained. While it can be neutral, it often has a slightly negative connotation, implying that a task is lengthy, tedious, or inefficient. Think of it as the direct equivalent of the English adjective "time-consuming."
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **耗 (hào):** This character means "to consume," "to use up," or "to expend." It's composed of the radical 耒 (lěi), which represents a plow, and 毛 (máo), meaning fur or hair. The combination suggests the idea of things being worn down or used up through hard work, like farming. The core meaning is one of expenditure.
  * **时 (shí):** This character means "time" or "hour." It's made of 日 (rì), the sun, and 寸 (cùn), a small unit of measurement. This pictorially represents the passage of time as measured by the sun's movement, like on a sundial.
Together, **耗 (to consume) + 时 (time)** literally means "to consume time." This makes its meaning very transparent and easy to remember.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While **耗时 (hàoshí)** is a practical term, its frequent use reflects a core value in modern Chinese society: **效率 (xiàolǜ)**, or efficiency. In China's fast-paced cities and competitive business environments, speed is highly valued. Describing a process, proposal, or task as **耗时** is often more than an observation; it's a critique. It implies that a better, faster way should be found.
For an English speaker, "it takes a while" can be a neutral statement. However, saying something is **耗时** in a business meeting is a clear signal that it's a significant drawback. It taps into the collective drive to optimize, streamline, and avoid wasting resources—with time being one of the most precious. It's the opposite of being **省时 (shěng shí)**, or "time-saving," which is a highly desirable quality for any product or service.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**耗时** is a versatile term used in both formal and informal settings.
  * **In the Workplace:** It's frequently used to evaluate projects and processes. A manager might reject a plan because it's "太耗时了" (tài hàoshí le - too time-consuming).
  * **In Daily Life:** People use it to talk about long commutes, complicated application procedures, cooking a complex meal, or any task that requires a large investment of time.
  * **As a Verb:** It can act as a verb, often followed by a duration. For example, "这个工程耗时三年" (This project took three years).
  * **As an Adjective:** More commonly, it functions like an adjective. For example, "这是一个很耗时的任务" (This is a very time-consuming task).
Its connotation is generally neutral to negative. It points out a factual cost (time) but often with an underlying tone of inconvenience or inefficiency.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 这个项目非常**耗时**，我们需要更多的人手。
    * Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù fēicháng **hàoshí**, wǒmen xūyào gèng duō de rénshǒu.
    * English: This project is extremely time-consuming; we need more manpower.
    * Analysis: Here, **耗时** is used as an adjective to describe the nature of the project, justifying the need for more resources.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 整个申请过程**耗时**两个月。
    * Pinyin: Zhěnggè shēnqǐng guòchéng **hàoshí** liǎng ge yuè.
    * English: The entire application process took two months.
    * Analysis: In this sentence, **耗时** acts as a verb, stating the total duration of time consumed. This is a common structure for reports and factual statements.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 每天在路上通勤太**耗时**了，我正在考虑搬家。
    * Pinyin: Měitiān zài lùshàng tōngqín tài **hàoshí** le, wǒ zhèngzài kǎolǜ bānjiā.
    * English: Commuting on the road every day is too time-consuming, I'm considering moving.
    * Analysis: A classic daily-life complaint. The word **耗时** carries the negative feeling of time being drained or wasted.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 手工制作虽然**耗时**，但成品更有价值。
    * Pinyin: Shǒugōng zhìzuò suīrán **hàoshí**, dàn chéngpǐn gèng yǒu jiàzhí.
    * English: Although making things by hand is time-consuming, the finished products are more valuable.
    * Analysis: This shows a more balanced use of the word. It acknowledges the time cost but contrasts it with a positive outcome.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 我们必须找到一个不那么**耗时**的解决方案。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū zhǎodào yīgè bù nàme **hàoshí** de jiějué fāng'àn.
    * English: We must find a less time-consuming solution.
    * Analysis: A typical business or problem-solving context where efficiency is the goal.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 清理这个旧仓库既**耗时**又费力。
    * Pinyin: Qīnglǐ zhège jiù cāngkù jì **hàoshí** yòu fèilì.
    * English: Cleaning out this old warehouse is both time-consuming and energy-consuming.
    * Analysis: **耗时** is often paired with **费力 (fèilì)**, which means "strenuous" or "energy-consuming," to describe a doubly difficult task.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 学习任何一门语言都是一个**耗时**的过程。
    * Pinyin: Xuéxí rènhé yī mén yǔyán dōu shì yīgè **hàoshí** de guòchéng.
    * English: Learning any language is a time-consuming process.
    * Analysis: A neutral, factual statement. It simply describes the nature of language learning without a strong negative judgment.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 渲染高质量的视频文件可能会很**耗时**。
    * Pinyin: Xuànrǎn gāo zhìliàng de shìpín wénjiàn kěnéng huì hěn **hàoshí**.
    * English: Rendering high-quality video files can be very time-consuming.
    * Analysis: This is a common usage in technical contexts, describing a process that inherently takes a long time due to its complexity.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 跟他解释这个问题太**耗时**了，他根本听不进去。
    * Pinyin: Gēn tā jiěshì zhège wèntí tài **hàoshí** le, tā gēnběn tīng bù jìnqù.
    * English: It's too time-consuming to explain this problem to him; he doesn't listen at all.
    * Analysis: Here, **耗时** expresses frustration. The time spent is not just long, but also unproductive, verging on a waste of time.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 你觉得哪种方法最不**耗时**？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ juéde nǎ zhǒng fāngfǎ zuì bù **hàoshí**?
    * English: Which method do you think is the least time-consuming?
    * Analysis: This question structure is very useful for seeking the most efficient option.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between **耗时 (hàoshí)** and **花时间 (huā shíjiān)**.
  * **花时间 (huā shíjiān):** Literally "to spend time." It is a neutral verb phrase used to state how much time was spent on something. It doesn't carry any judgment about efficiency.
    * Correct: 我**花了**一个小时做晚饭。(Wǒ **huāle** yīgè xiǎoshí zuò wǎnfàn.) - I spent one hour making dinner.
  * **耗时 (hàoshí):** "Time-consuming." It's an adjective describing the nature of the task or a verb summarizing a long duration. It's not typically used for short, specific timeframes.
    * Correct: 做一顿丰盛的晚饭很**耗时**。(Zuò yī dùn fēngshèng de wǎnfàn hěn **hàoshí**.) - Making a big dinner is very time-consuming.
    * Correct: 这顿饭**耗时**三个小时才做好。(Zhè dùn fàn **hàoshí** sān ge xiǎoshí cái zuò hǎo.) - This meal took three hours to be ready.
**Common Mistake:** Using **耗时** like **花时间** for a specific duration.
  * **Incorrect:** 我**耗时**十分钟走路去超市。(Wǒ **hàoshí** shí fēnzhōng zǒulù qù chāoshì.)
  * **Why it's wrong:** Ten minutes is not a significant "consumption" of time. The phrase implies a lengthy, draining process. The neutral **花时间** is the correct choice here.
  * **Correct:** 我**花了**十分钟走路去超市。(Wǒ **huāle** shí fēnzhōng zǒulù qù chāoshì.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[浪费时间]] (làngfèi shíjiān) - To waste time. This is much more negative than **耗时**, implying that the time spent was completely useless.
  * [[花时间]] (huā shíjiān) - To spend time. The neutral verb for stating a duration.
  * [[省时]] (shěng shí) - To save time. The direct antonym of **耗时** and a very positive attribute.
  * [[费时]] (fèishí) - A close synonym for **耗时**, also meaning "time-consuming." **耗时** is slightly more common in contemporary Mandarin.
  * [[费力]] (fèilì) - Strenuous, energy-consuming. Often paired with **耗时** to describe tasks that are difficult in both time and effort (耗时耗力).
  * [[效率]] (xiàolǜ) - Efficiency. The quality that a **耗时** process lacks.
  * [[麻烦]] (máfan) - Troublesome, inconvenient. A task that is **耗时** is very often also **麻烦**.
  * [[冗长]] (rǒngcháng) - Tediously long, drawn-out. Used specifically for meetings, speeches, or articles that are too long. It's a type of **耗时**.