益

yì
noun #16,967

Meanings

  1. 1 benefit; profit; advantage
  2. 2 to increase; increasingly

Examples

HSK 1
Dúshū duì nǐ yǒuyì.
Reading is beneficial for you.
HSK 3
Zhè duì dàjiā dōu yǒu lìyì.
This benefits everyone.
HSK 4
Wèntí rìyì yánzhòng.
The problem is getting increasingly serious.

Tips

usage
利益 = interest/benefit, 有益 = beneficial, 日益 = increasingly, 收益 = revenue/earnings.

Components

radical
皿 mǐn
dish; vessel
Bottom 皿 - the indexing radical, a pictograph of a wide flat dish on a stand. Indexes 益 in the vessel family with 盆 basin, 盏 small cup, 盘 plate, 盖 lid. Filled with water spilling over the top, 皿 here is the brimming bowl behind the abstract meaning 'to add to, benefit'.
semantic
水 shuǐ
water (here drawn sideways as overflowing droplets)
Top is 水 rotated and stylised, originally droplets spilling sideways over the rim of the vessel below. The early 益 pictured a basin so full it overflowed, giving the senses 'to overflow / increase / benefit' (利益 benefit, 益处 advantage). The top is the action; the bottom is the container.

Stroke Order

益 yì