争名夺利

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zhēng míng duó lì
• English Translation: Scrambling for fame and wealth (jockeying for power and personal gain)
• Idiom Composition: 「争」（To contend, strive, or vie for）＋「名」（Fame, reputation, or social status）＋「夺」（To seize, snatch, or contest aggressively）＋「利」（Profit, wealth, or material gain）
• Meaning: To fiercely compete with others to secure social status, fame, and material wealth. It carries a distinctly derogatory tone (贬义, biǎnyì), used to criticize selfish rat races or to express a philosophical detachment from worldly vanity.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「争名夺利」 contains the following nuances:

• Obsession with Secular Recognition and Material Wealth: The idiom pairs 名 (míng, reputation/standing) and 利 (lì, profit/monetary advantage), embodying the two pillars of worldly ambition and shallow materialism.
• Zero-Sum and Aggressive Antagonism: The verbs 争 (zhēng) and 夺 (duó) emphasize fighting and seizing, highlighting that this is not healthy self-actualization, but an ugly, zero-sum game of pushing others aside.
• Inherently Pejorative Tone: One never uses 争名夺利 (zhēng míng duó lì) proudly to describe one's own goals. It is reserved either as a moral critique of toxic behavior or as a standard of shallow materialism from which one consciously chooses to withdraw.

3. Usage

「争名夺利」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Workplace and Organizational Power Struggles: Used to condemn toxic office politics or petty rivalries where colleagues fight over titles, bonuses, and territory.
  • Example:「职场上整天争名夺利，让他感到身心俱疲。」
    （The constant scrambling for fame and wealth at the workplace left him completely exhausted in body and mind.)
• Contrasting Life Philosophies: Used as a negative foil when contrasting the rat race of careerism with a peaceful, authentic, or minimalist lifestyle.
  • Example:「退休之后，他远离了争名夺利的生活，过上了安逸平静的日子。」
    （After retiring, he stepped away from the life of jockeying for fame and fortune and settled into a peaceful, comfortable existence.)
• Criticism of Personal Character: Used to criticize individuals who prioritize vanity and self-enrichment over genuine integrity or social contribution.
  • Example:「真正有理想的学者，绝不会把精力浪费在争名夺利上。」
    （A scholar with true integrity would never squander energy on competing for status and wealth.)

Additional Examples:

1. 面对遗产，平日和睦的亲戚们竟然也开始争名夺利起来。
   （Faced with an inheritance, relatives who usually got along well suddenly began scrambling for personal gain.）
2. 与其把青春浪费在争名夺利上，不如静下心来提升自己。
   （Rather than squandering youth on the rat race for prestige and profit, it is better to quiet one's mind and focus on self-improvement.）
3. 有些人表面上大义凛然，背地里却一直在争名夺利。
   （Some individuals project righteous virtue on the surface, but behind closed doors, they are constantly scheming for fame and profit.）
4. 她厌倦了商界争名夺利的风气，毅然决定辞职去乡村支教。
   （Weary of the cutthroat rivalry for money and status in the business world, she firmly decided to quit and volunteer as a teacher in a rural village.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• In Chapter 1 of the classic Ming novel Journey to the West (西游记), when the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) sets out in search of immortality, a reflective poem laments the folly of mortals: 'When will this scrambling for fame and wealth ever cease? Rising early and sleeping late, yet never truly free.' (争名夺利几时休？早起迟眠不自由).
• Traditional Daoist and Buddhist philosophies view fixation on 名 (míng) and 利 (lì) as spiritual shackles. Consequently, traditional Chinese literature often celebrates scholars and hermits who step away from such secular squabbling to cultivate inner peace and integrity.
• The phrase 争名逐利 (zhēng míng zhú lì) functions as an exact synonymous variant. Meanwhile, 争权夺利 (zhēng quán duó lì) shifts the focal point from prestige to '权' (quán, political or bureaucratic power), making it more suited for cutthroat political power plays.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 争权夺利 (zhēng quán duó lì): To vie for power and scramble for wealth, specifically emphasizing political or administrative control.
  • 钩心斗角 (gōu xīn dòu jiǎo): To plot, scheme, and engage in relentless internal maneuvering against one another.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 淡泊名利 (dàn bó míng lì): Indifferent to fame and fortune; living with a calm and detached heart.
  • 与世无争 (yǔ shì wú zhēng): Standing aloof from worldly strife; holding no desire to compete with anyone.

6. Summary

争名夺利 (zhēng míng duó lì) vividly depicts petty or ruthless rivalry over public prestige and material fortune. Because of its strongly critical tone, it is commonly employed to condemn office politics, toxic ambition, or contrast secular greed with a tranquil, contemplative lifestyle.