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student asking question

What's "self-interested" mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Self-interested" can be used to refer to any person who acts or strategizes in their own interest, for themselves. Humans, for example, are self-interested creatures and will act or think strategically to get the things they want. "Self-interested" often carries a negative connotation (especially if it's used to refer to a particular person), but here it's being spoken about in a matter of fact way. Ex: I think she's too self-interested. She doesn't think about others. Ex: Although he is a self-interested person, he is also concerned about the well-being of others.

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