  We study the possible origin of Friedberg-Lee symmetry. First, we propose the
generalized Friedberg-Lee symmetry in the potential by including the scalar
fields in the field transformations, which can be broken down to the FL
symmetry spontaneously. We show that the generalized Friedberg-Lee symmetry
allows a typical form of Yukawa couplings, and the realistic neutrino masses
and mixings can be generated via see-saw mechanism. If the right-handed
neutrinos transform non-trivially under the generalized Friedberg-Lee symmetry,
we can have the testable TeV scale see-saw mechanism. Second, we present two
models with the $SO(3)\times U(1)$ global flavour symmetry in the lepton
sector. After the flavour symmetry breaking, we can obtain the charged lepton
masses, and explain the neutrino masses and mixings via see-saw mechanism.
Interestingly, the complete neutrino mass matrices are similar to those of the
above models with generalized Friedberg-Lee symmetry. So the Friedberg-Lee
symmetry is the residual symmetry in the neutrino mass matrix after the
$SO(3)\times U(1)$ flavour symmetry breaking.
