si1 lei6私利
Jyutpingsi1 lei6
Yalesī leih
Definition
Personal gain; selfish interest; individual benefits.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
This term carries a strong negative connotation and is almost exclusively used to criticize someone for being self-centered or corrupt. It is frequently paired with verbs like 貪圖 or 謀取 to emphasize the act of actively pursuing selfish benefits at the expense of others or the public good.
Examples
He only knows how to think about his own personal gain when working.
Don't betray your friends for the sake of personal gain.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 利益, which is a neutral word for benefit or interest. Using 私利 in a context where you simply mean a positive outcome or a fair return will make you sound like you are accusing someone of being greedy or unethical.
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.
