营业

• Pinyin: yíng yè
• Hanzi breakdown: 营 = 宫 (palace) variant + 火 (fire), to manage/run a camp or enterprise; 业 = pictograph of a display board, work/business

Meaning

To do business; to be open for business. Refers to a shop, restaurant, or company being in operation and serving customers.

Used to describe the operational status of a business or service outlet. 营业时间 means business hours, 营业额 means turnover or sales revenue, and 不营业 means closed. Commonly seen on signs indicating whether a shop is open.

Examples

1. 这家餐厅每天从早上九点开始营业，一直到晚上十点。 This restaurant is open for business every day from nine in the morning until ten at night.
2. 银行节假日通常不营业，请大家合理安排时间。 Banks are usually not open on public holidays, so please plan your time accordingly.
3. 新开的超市已经正式营业，里面商品种类十分齐全。 The newly opened supermarket is now officially open, with a very wide range of products.

Usage Guide

Context: business, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请问你们几点开始营业？(What time do you open for business?)
• 这家店每天营业十二个小时。(This shop operates twelve hours a day.)

Don't Say

• 用'工作'代替'营业'来描述商家的开门状态 (Don't use 工作 to mean a shop is open — 工作 means to work in general; 营业 specifically means a business is open and serving customers)

Origin & History

A compound of 营 (to manage/camp) and 业 (business/work). Together they convey the idea of actively conducting commercial operations.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal