zi6 si1 zi6 lei6自私自利

Jyutpingzi6 si1 zi6 lei6

Yalejih sī jih leih

形容詞

Definition

Selfish; only caring about one's own private interests.

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

This idiom carries a strong negative connotation, implying that someone is not just self-centered but actively harmful to others for their own gain. It is often used to criticize someone's character in a serious or heated argument. While self-centeredness can be described simply as 自私, adding 自利 emphasizes the calculated pursuit of personal profit at the expense of the collective.

Examples

keoi5佢fan6份jan4人hou2好zi6自si1私zi6自lei6利，zing6淨hai6係nam2諗zi6自gei2己。

He is very selfish and only thinks about himself.

nei5你zou6做jan4人m4唔hou2好gam3咁zi6自si1私zi6自lei6利laa1啦。

Don't be so selfish in how you treat others.

Common phrases

gik6極dou6度zi6自si1私zi6自lei6利

extremely selfish

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple adjective like happy or tired, but it is a four-character idiom that functions as a descriptor of character. Avoid using it to describe minor, harmless preferences, as it implies a moral failing.