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势利 (shì lì) — snobbish, prioritizing power and wealth over personal character; (of a person or attitude) money-worshipping, treating people according to their wealth or status

Definition

势利 (shì lì) describes a person or attitude that treats people better when they have money or status and worse when they don't. Almost always used negatively (snobbish, snooty), and pairs naturally with 人, 眼, and 态度.

adjective
snobbish, prioritizing power and wealth over personal character(of a person or attitude) money-worshipping, treating people according to their wealth or status

Examples

  • 势利，。
    Tā tài shì lì le, zhī gēn yǒu qián rén jiāo péng you.
    He is too snobbish; he only makes friends with rich people.
  • 势利。
    Tā nà zhǒng shì lì de tài dù ràng rén hěn bù shū fu.
    That snobbish attitude of hers makes people very uncomfortable.
  • 势利，。
    Wǒ bù xǐ huan shì lì de rén, tā men zhī kàn zhòng qián hé dì wèi.
    I don't like snobbish people; they only care about money and status.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

势shìpower
利lìprofit

势 'power' and 利 'profit' are combined to describe valuing status and gain.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

利 combines 禾 (grain) and 刀 (knife), showing a knife used to cut grain.

Open 利 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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