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I'm a bit stuck translating these 6 characters. What does he mean with : 经济生活���径? （Probably not 'economic life way')

记者对社会学者进行访谈。

记者：您认为目前人们交友的目的是什么？

学者：。。。。 在他们看来，现代都市的人际关系应该务实，要寻求能为双方带来收益和便利的经济生活途径。。。。

Take this part:

  1. 要寻求能为双方带来收益和便利的经济生活途径

Essentially, in 1. it says: 要寻求 。。。途径 = must seek ... a way

Further on it says:

  1. 我曾调查过一位叫王威的先生，他很有经济意识，他的人际关系主题鲜明，即以经济生活为中心。

Is he really saying, city dwellers can only make friends through financial cooperation?

I interpret this as below. Does that seem right? I can't see a way to translate 经济生活途径 as a word.

在他们看来，
from their point of view,
现代都市的人际关系应该务实，
the inter-personal relations of modern city dwellers should be pragmatic,
要寻求能为双方带来收益和便利的经济生活途径
(they) must seek a way （途径） to bring profit and help to both parties make a living （经济生活）.

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What about "to seek business opportunities which can bring mutual benefits and favors"?

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  • Yeah, that seems to fit. He is just saying it in a roundabout way!
    – Pedroski
    Commented Aug 4, 2019 at 22:18
  • @Pedroski" to seek business opportunities" is "寻求商机" meaning you seek opportunities to build business relationships with people connected to you. It is like trying to get your barber to invest or your classmate to buy staffs. It may mutually benefits both parties, but the main goal is to benefit oneself
    – Tang Ho ♦
    Commented Aug 5, 2019 at 1:31
  • This guy expresses his ideas strangely, but overall, 经济生活 is your 'business', how you make money. 途径 is 'way, channel', so in this context, I find 'opportunity' quite fitting. On the other hand, "an economical way of living" means: live without spending much money, which is not the sense of the text. Also, if we translate, then back-translate, we will seldom arrive at the original text, i.e. 经济生活途径 -business opportunities - 商机
    – Pedroski
    Commented Aug 5, 2019 at 2:42
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Base on the context, 经济生活途径 should mean "economical way of living"

  • 经济 as an adjective "economical" means effectively spending resources for the maximum benefits and convenience (收益和便利)

  • 生活途径 = way of living

要寻求(need to seek) 能为双方带来(can bring both parties) 收益和便利的(of benefits and convenience) 经济生活途径 (economical way of living)

Need to seek an economical way of living that can bring both parties benefits and convenience

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