利润

• Pinyin: lì rùn
• Hanzi breakdown: 利 = 禾 (grain) + 刂 (knife), harvesting grain = profit; 润 = 氵(water) + 闰 (intercalary), to moisten/enrich

Meaning

Profit; earnings. The financial gain after deducting costs.

A formal business term for profit margin or earnings. Distinguished from 收入 (revenue) as 利润 specifically means the amount remaining after subtracting expenses. Used in business, economics, and financial contexts.

Examples

1. 今年公司的利润比去年增长了百分之二十。 The company's profit increased by twenty percent this year compared to last year.
2. 为了追求利润，有些商家会偷工减料。 In pursuit of profit, some merchants cut corners.
3. 这个项目的利润空间很小，值不值得做还要再考虑。 The profit margin on this project is very small; whether it's worth doing needs more consideration.

Usage Guide

Context: business, economics, finance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 利润率太低了，不划算。(The profit margin is too low; it's not worth it.)
• 这笔交易给我们带来了可观的利润。(This deal brought us considerable profit.)

Don't Say

• 我今天卖东西的利润是一百块。(For casual small-scale sales, use 赚了 — 利润 sounds overly formal)

Origin & History

利 (lì, benefit/profit) + 润 (rùn, moist/enrich). The characters together convey financial benefit that 'enriches.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal