暴利

• Pinyin: bào lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 暴 = 日 + 共 + 水 (suddenly/violently); 利 = 禾 (grain) + 刂 (knife)

Meaning

Excessive profits; profiteering. Unreasonably high profits, often gained through exploitation.

Refers to profits that are disproportionately high relative to the actual value provided, often implying unfair or unethical business practices. Frequently used in discussions about price gouging, monopolies, or exploitative industries.

Examples

1. 那些黄牛党靠倒卖演唱会门票赚取暴利。 Those scalpers make excessive profits by reselling concert tickets.
2. 某些药企被曝光在疫情期间牟取暴利。 Some pharmaceutical companies were exposed for profiteering during the pandemic.
3. 这个行业利润太高了，简直是暴利，难怪大家都想挤进来。 The profit margins in this industry are ridiculously high — no wonder everyone wants in.

Usage Guide

Context: business, economics, criticism

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 他们靠暴利发了财。(They got rich through profiteering.)
• 政府打击暴利行为。(The government cracks down on profiteering.)

Don't Say

• 把正常利润说成'暴利' (Don't call reasonable profits 暴利 — the term implies unethical excess)

Origin & History

暴 (excessive/violent) + 利 (profit). Profits that are violently/excessively high.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal