专利
zhuānlì · HSK 5
patent
📜 专 (exclusive) + 利 (benefit/profit) = exclusive right to profit
专 means exclusive or specialized; 利 means benefit or profit. A patent grants an exclusive right to profit from an invention. The compound literally spells out the legal concept.
利 — grain 禾 + knife 刂
Originally a pictograph showing a knife (刂) cutting grain (禾), depicting harvest. From the idea of a sharp blade reaping crops, it extended to mean 'sharp,' then 'benefit,' 'profit,' or 'advantage' — the gain that comes from a successful harvest.