Definition
争权夺利 is a four-character idiom meaning 'to scramble for power and wealth' — it describes people or groups competing ruthlessly for political authority and material gain, often with a negative connotation. The structure is parallel: 争 (struggle) and 夺 (snatch) are synonymous verbs, paired with 权 (power) and 利 (profit). You'll hear it in discussions about politics, business, or organizational infighting, where personal ambition overrides collective good.
f.e.
to scramble for power and wealthto engage in power struggles for personal gain
Examples
- 争权夺利，。Zhè xiē zhèngkè zhěngtiān zhēng quán duó lì, gēnběn bù guānxīn bǎixìng de shēnghuó.These politicians are constantly scrambling for power and wealth, and don't care at all about the people's lives.
- 争权夺利。Gōngsī nèibù zhēng quán duó lì de fēngqì ràng hěnduō yuángōng gǎndào shīwàng.The atmosphere of power struggles within the company disappointed many employees.
- ，争权夺利。Lìshǐ shàng, xǔduō wángcháo dōu yīn huángshì nèibù zhēng quán duó lì ér zǒuxiàng shuāiluò.Throughout history, many dynasties declined due to internal power struggles within the royal family.
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