既得利益 (jì dé lì yì) — vested interest

Definition

A formal, written term for 'vested interest' — the benefits someone already holds and wants to protect, especially in politics or economics. It implies a group or class with power to defend those gains against reform.

noun
vested interest

Examples

  • 既得利益。
    Gǎi gé huì chù dòng yì xiē rén de jì dé lì yì.
    Reforms may touch on the vested interests of some people.
  • 既得利益。
    jì dé lì yì Jí tuán wǎng wǎng fǎn duì xīn de zhèng cè.
    Vested interest groups often oppose new policies.
  • 既得利益。
    Zhèng fǔ xū yào píng héng jì dé lì yì hé gōng gòng lì yì.
    The government needs to balance vested interests and public interests.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

既得already obtained
既jìalready得déobtain
偏正Modifier + head
利益benefit
利lìbenefit/profit益yìbenefit
联合Side by side

既得 (already obtained) and 利益 (benefit) combine to mean a vested interest.

Characters in this word

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

  • 皀皀jíbowl of rice
  • 旡旡jìkneeling figure

既 combines 皀, a bowl of rice, with 旡, a kneeling figure: a person kneeling at the bowl, having finished eating.

Open 既 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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 →

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

益 puts 水 (water) above 皿 (a vessel), originally showing water overflowing the vessel.

Open 益 →

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