📖 Meaning
To care only about profit and nothing else. It describes someone who is driven solely by self-interest and disregards all other considerations such as ethics, duty, or the greater good.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from the 'Book of Jin, Biography of Wen Qiao' (《晋书·温峤传》). Wen Qiao, a Jin dynasty official and general, described Su Jun's subordinates as people who only cared about profit, being cruel, arrogant, and suspicious. The phrase later became a common expression for describing those who prioritize personal gain above all else. It appears in Qing dynasty writings such as Xue Fucheng's memorials on foreign affairs.
💡 Example Usage
盖彼之商人惟利是视，不顾大体。
Those merchants care only about profit and disregard the larger picture.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 惟利是视
- Pinyin: wéi lì shì shì
- Literal Translation: only, profit, is, look at
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4