利

• Pinyin: lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 利 = 禾 (grain) + 刂 (knife), harvesting grain — benefit and sharpness

Meaning

Benefit; profit; interest; sharp. Describing advantage, gain, or sharpness.

Multiple meanings: profit/benefit (利润, 利益), interest on money (利息, 利率), sharp (锋利, 利器), advantageous (有利, 不利). Common expressions: 见利忘义 (forget morality at sight of profit), 利弊 (pros and cons), 名利 (fame and fortune).

Examples

1. 做任何决定之前，都要权衡利弊，考虑周全。 Before making any decision, you need to weigh the pros and cons and consider everything thoroughly.
2. 银行存款利息太低了，还跑不赢通货膨胀。 Bank deposit interest rates are too low; they can't even beat inflation.
3. 这把刀很锋利，用的时候要小心。 This knife is very sharp; be careful when using it.

Usage Guide

Context: business, decision-making, description

Tone: analytical

Do Say

• 这个方案对我们有利。(This plan is advantageous to us.)
• 要分析利弊再做决定。(Analyze the pros and cons before deciding.)

Don't Say

• 混淆利和力 (利 = benefit/sharp; 力 = strength/power — same tone but different meanings)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic: 禾 (grain) + 刂 (knife). Originally meant using a knife to harvest grain — combining sharpness with benefit.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal