暴利
bào lì · HSK 7
sudden huge profits
💰💥 暴 explosive + 利 profit — money that hits like a shockwave
暴 means violent or sudden (as in 暴风 storm). 利 means profit. Together: profits so extreme they feel like an explosion — price-gouging, windfalls, overnight fortunes.
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.