利益
lìyì · HSK 4
profit
💰 利 = grain (禾) + knife (刂) → sharp profit; 益 = water spilling over a dish → overflow benefit
利 originally meant a sharp blade cutting grain, extended to profit/advantage. 益 shows water (now 八) above 皿 (dish), meaning to overflow, hence increase or benefit. Together: profit plus benefit = gains.
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.