gin3 lei6 mong4 ji6見利忘義见利忘义

Jyutpinggin3 lei6 mong4 ji6

Yalegin leih mòhng yih

語句

Definition

To abandon one's morals or principles in pursuit of personal gain; to forget justice when seeing profit.

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How it's used

Carries a strong sense of moral condemnation and is typically used to criticize someone's character after they have committed a betrayal. It is a formal idiom that often appears in serious discussions, news reports, or heated arguments where one party feels deeply wronged. Unlike everyday slang, it functions as a heavy accusation that highlights a complete lack of integrity.

Examples

keoi5佢wai6為zo2咗cin2錢gin3見lei6利mong4忘ji6義，zan1真hai6係hou2好ling6令jan4人sat1失mong6望。

He is so disappointing for forgetting his morals just for money.

nei5你dim2點ho2可ji5以gin3見lei6利mong4忘ji6義，ceot1出maai6賣zi6自gei2己ge3嘅hou2好pang4朋jau5友aa4呀？

How could you be so unprincipled and betray your own good friend for profit?

Common phrases

gin3見lei6利mong4忘ji6義ge3嘅siu2小jan4人

a despicable person who forgets morality for profit

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a casual way to describe someone who likes money, but it is actually a severe insult implying a lack of loyalty and ethics. It should not be used lightly to describe someone who is simply frugal or career-focused.