諺語 · a single proverb
勢利眼
Simplified: 势利眼
What does 勢利眼 (shì lì yǎn) mean?
勢利眼 (shì lì yǎn) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "eyes that see only power and profit." In use it means: Judging people solely by their status or wealth; the shallow calculation that treats connection as a ledger. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "eyes that see only power and profit."
The reading
They were warm when you were useful and cold when you were not. The transition took exactly one day. The person with power-and-profit eyes is not evil. They are just running a ledger where the columns are labeled 'what can you do for me' and 'nothing', and you moved columns.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk expression; social commentary tradition
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 勢利眼 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 勢利眼 (shì lì yǎn) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Common folk expression; social commentary tradition. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 勢利眼?
In Mandarin it is shì lì yǎn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 勢利眼 aloud in Mandarin.