损人利己 (sǔn rén lì jǐ)

Character breakdown

• 损 (sǔn) · 10 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 損.

• 人 (rén) · 2 strokes

  Pictograph of the side view of a standing person.

• 利 (Lì) · 7 strokes

  Depicts harvesting grain (禾) with a blade (刂). Harvest was the main source of profit in agricultural societies.

• 己 (jǐ) · 3 strokes

  Origin unclear. Possibly a pictograph of a silk rope, in which case would be the original form of 紀.

Usage

这种损人利己的事不能做。

harming others for one's personal benefit (idiom); personal gain to the detriment of others

zhè zhǒng sǔn rén lì jǐ de shì bù néng zuò 。