mau4 lei6牟利
Jyutpingmau4 lei6
Yalemàuh leih
Definition
To seek, make, or obtain profit.
writtenmoneywork
How it's used
Often carries a slightly negative or critical nuance, implying that someone is prioritizing financial gain over other considerations. It is frequently used in formal or legal contexts, such as describing business practices or organizational structures. In casual speech, people usually prefer using 賺錢 instead.
Examples
They opened the shop just to make a profit.
Is this company purely for profit?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this in everyday conversation to mean simply making money, but it sounds overly formal or suspicious in casual settings. Stick to 賺錢 for normal daily activities.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
