牟取暴利 (móu qǔ bào lì) — to profiteer, to seek exorbitant profits (often illegally or unethically)

Definition

A fixed verb phrase meaning 'to profiteer' — to seek excessive, often illegal or unethical profits. Strongly negative; used in news, law, and business reporting.

verb
to profiteerto seek exorbitant profits (often illegally or unethically)

Examples

  • 牟取暴利，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zài yì qíng qī jiān móu qǔ bào lì, bèi fá kuǎn le.
    This company profiteered during the pandemic and was fined.
  • 牟取暴利。
    Fǎ lǜ yán lì dǎ jī móu qǔ bào lì de xíng wéi.
    The law severely cracks down on profiteering behavior.
  • 牟取暴利。
    Tóu jī zhě tōng guò tún jī wù zī móu qǔ bào lì.
    Speculators profiteer by hoarding supplies.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

牟取seek
牟mùseek取qǔtake
联合Side by side
暴利huge profit
暴bàosudden/huge利lìprofit
偏正Modifier + head

牟取 gives the idea of seeking or taking, while 暴利 names sudden huge profit; together they mean to seek exorbitant gains.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

牟 originally drew an ox with a mark representing its lowing.

Open 牟 →

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

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

The earliest form paired 虎 and 戈, a tiger and a weapon. The later 暴 came from a picture of hands drying something in the sun.

Open 暴 →

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 →

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