Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Self-interested / Mercenary: Describes a person whose actions are primarily motivated by personal gain or profit. It implies a calculating nature focused on material benefit.
   • Utilitarian: In a broader sense, it can describe an attitude or approach that prioritizes usefulness and practical advantage, often with a connotation of selfishness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ta là người rất xu lợi, chỉ kết bạn với người giàu. (He is a very self-interested person, only making friends with the rich.)
  • Cô ấy có cách nhìn xu lợi về hôn nhân. (She has a utilitarian view of marriage.)
  • Đừng có xu lợi quá trong chuyện tình cảm. (Don't be so mercenary in matters of the heart.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a disapproving or critical tone to highlight someone's lack of genuine feeling or principle, emphasizing their focus on tangible benefits.

Variants and Related Words

• Chủ nghĩa xu lợi (n): Utilitarianism (the ethical doctrine).
  • Chủ nghĩa xu lợi tập trung vào kết quả tốt nhất cho số đông. (Utilitarianism focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number.)

Synonyms

• Self-seeking: Concerned primarily with one's own interests and benefits.
• Calculating: Acting in a scheming and selfish way.
• Opportunistic: Taking immediate advantage, often without regard for principles.

Related Idioms

• Làm việc xu lợi: To work only for personal gain.
  • Hắn làm việc xu lợi, không bao giờ nghĩ đến đồng đội. (He works only for personal gain, never thinking of his teammates.)