In accounting, cost and expense,as two important concepts are often involved,they are defined and cognitive differently between china and other countries,the expression is different in old and new accounting system in china.The concepts of cost and expenses are different from each other,but mutual association.Firstly,it is absolutely different of the two concepts in expression and function location, so it is necessary to strictly distinguish them,on the other side,the two concepts are interrelated. The cost and expense concepts are modified in new enterprise accounting system,expense was defined to out of the enterprise for sales of goods and provision of service by an economic interests,cost was defined to the cost of enterprises for the production of products.The new system is more standardized and rigorous.The reasonable definition and distinguish between expense and cost and function location can be given a better services for enterprises and enhance of competitiveness in international market.
Keyword cost,expense,production cost,enterprise accounting system