零售

• Pinyin: líng shòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 零 = 雨 + 令 (scattered, small amounts); 售 = 亻 + 隹 + 口 (to sell)

Meaning

To sell at retail; retail sales. Refers to the direct sale of goods to consumers in small quantities.

Used in commercial and economic contexts to contrast with wholesale (批发). Applies to both brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms. Common in business, finance, and trade discussions.

Examples

1. 这家公司既做批发也做零售，产品直接供应超市和个人消费者。 This company does both wholesale and retail, supplying its products directly to supermarkets and individual consumers.
2. 随着电商的兴起，传统实体零售面临前所未有的竞争压力。 With the rise of e-commerce, traditional brick-and-mortar retail faces unprecedented competitive pressure.
3. 零售价格通常比批发价格高出百分之二十到五十不等，利润空间因品类而异。 Retail prices are usually 20% to 50% higher than wholesale prices, and profit margins vary by category.

Usage Guide

Context: business, commerce, economics

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这款产品零售价为三百元。(The retail price of this product is 300 yuan.)
• 公司在全国各地设有多个零售网点。(The company has multiple retail outlets across the country.)

Don't Say

• 把零售和零卖混用于正式场合 — 虽然意思相近，正式商业场合应优先用零售 (In formal or business contexts, prefer 零售 over the more colloquial 零卖)

Origin & History

零 (scattered, small amounts) + 售 (to sell) — selling in small, scattered quantities directly to consumers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal