====== yínglì: 盈利 - Profit, to Make a Profit ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** yingli, 盈利, how to say profit in Chinese, Chinese business terms, yingli meaning, 盈利能力, 盈利模式, what is yingli, learn Chinese business vocabulary, 利润, 赚钱, company profit Chinese
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese business term **盈利 (yínglì)**, which means "profit" or "to make a profit." This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural significance in modern China's economy. Discover how it differs from the more specific **利润 (lìrùn)** and the colloquial **赚钱 (zhuànqián)**. With over 10 practical example sentences and analysis, you'll master how to use **盈利 (yínglì)** in formal business contexts like financial reports, news articles, and strategic discussions about profitability.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yínglì
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To gain a profit; the profit or earnings of a business.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **盈利 (yínglì)** is the formal, business-world term for making a profit. Think of it as the word you'd see in a company's annual report, a headline in the //Financial Times//, or a CEO's presentation. It describes the state of a business being financially successful, where its income exceeds its expenses. It's less about a specific number and more about the overall positive financial performance and sustainability of an enterprise.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **盈 (yíng):** This character means "to be full," "surplus," or "to overflow." Imagine a cup (皿) filled to the brim. It signifies having more than enough, an abundance.
  * **利 (lì):** This character means "profit," "benefit," or "sharp." Its ancient form is a pictograph of a stalk of grain or wheat (禾) being cut by a knife (刂). This act of harvesting is the fundamental source of gain and benefit.
  * The two characters combine beautifully: **盈 (yíng)**, the overflowing surplus, plus **利 (lì)**, the beneficial gain from an endeavor. Together, **盈利 (yínglì)** paints a vivid picture of a successful enterprise whose gains are so abundant they are overflowing.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * **盈利 (yínglì)** is a cornerstone of China's economic vocabulary, especially since the "Reform and Opening Up" (改革开放, gǎigé kāifàng) period began in 1978. The concept of private or corporate profit-making was once politically sensitive, but now **盈利** is a celebrated sign of a healthy, modern, and competitive company.
  * **Comparison to "Profit" in the West:** While "profit" in American business culture is often seen primarily through the lens of maximizing shareholder value, the concept of **盈利** in China can carry a slightly broader connotation. For State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and even large private companies, achieving **盈利** is not just about enriching investors. It's also seen as a contribution to national strength, a means to drive technological innovation, a sign of global competitiveness, and a way to provide stable employment. A profitable company is a strong and socially responsible entity that contributes to the nation's overall goals. This reflects a perspective where corporate success is intertwined with national progress.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **盈利** is a formal term used almost exclusively in business, finance, and economic contexts. You will rarely hear it in casual, everyday conversation about personal finances.
  * **Business and Finance:** This is its natural habitat. It's used in financial statements (财务报表), business plans (商业计划书), and shareholder meetings (股东大会) to discuss a company's performance.
    *   e.g., **盈利能力 (yínglì nénglì)** - "profitability" or "earning power"
    *   e.g., **盈利模式 (yínglì móshì)** - "profit model" or "business model"
  * **News and Analysis:** Financial news outlets constantly use **盈利** to report on corporate earnings, market trends, and economic health.
  * **Formality and Connotation:** It is formal and carries a neutral-to-positive connotation. Achieving **盈利** is a significant milestone and a key performance indicator for any company.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我们公司去年终于开始**盈利**了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī qùnián zhōngyú kāishǐ **yínglì** le.
    * English: Our company finally started to make a profit last year.
    * Analysis: Here, **盈利** is used as a verb, "to make a profit." This is a common way to announce that a business has become financially successful (turned a corner from making a loss).
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这家初创公司的**盈利**模式非常独特。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā chuàngyè gōngsī de **yínglì** móshì fēicháng dútè.
    * English: This startup's profit model is very unique.
    * Analysis: **盈利模式 (yínglì móshì)** is a fixed phrase meaning "profit model" or "business model." Here, **盈利** acts as a noun within a compound term.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 分析师预测，该公司的**盈利**将增长20%。
    * Pinyin: Fēnxīshī yùcè, gāi gōngsī de **yínglì** jiāng zēngzhǎng bǎi fēn zhī èrshí.
    * English: Analysts predict the company's profit will grow by 20%.
    * Analysis: In this sentence, **盈利** is used as a noun, synonymous with "profit" or "earnings." This is very common in financial news.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 提高**盈利**能力是我们的首要任务。
    * Pinyin: Tígāo **yínglì** nénglì shì wǒmen de shǒuyào rènwù.
    * English: Increasing profitability is our top priority.
    * Analysis: **盈利能力 (yínglì nénglì)**, "profitability," is another key business term. It refers to the company's ability to generate profit.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 由于成本上升，我们的**盈利**空间变小了。
    * Pinyin: Yóuyú chéngběn shàngshēng, wǒmen de **yínglì** kōngjiān biàn xiǎo le.
    * English: Due to rising costs, our profit margin has shrunk.
    * Analysis: **盈利空间 (yínglì kōngjiān)** literally means "profit space," a common way to refer to the "profit margin."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 很多互联网公司在初期都无法**盈利**。
    * Pinyin: Hěnduō hùliánwǎng gōngsī zài chūqī dōu wúfǎ **yínglì**.
    * English: Many internet companies are unable to make a profit in their early stages.
    * Analysis: This uses **盈利** as a verb again, highlighting the challenge of achieving profitability for new ventures.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 新产品给公司带来了巨大的**盈利**。
    * Pinyin: Xīn chǎnpǐn gěi gōngsī dài lái le jùdà de **yínglì**.
    * English: The new product brought huge profits to the company.
    * Analysis: Here, **盈利** functions as a noun, referring to the financial gains themselves.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 企业的最终目标是实现可持续**盈利**。
    * Pinyin: Qǐyè de zuìzhōng mùbiāo shì shíxiàn kě chíxù **yínglì**.
    * English: The ultimate goal of an enterprise is to achieve sustainable profitability.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses a sophisticated business concept, "sustainable profitability" (可持续盈利), showing the formal nature of the term.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 尽管营业额很高，但公司尚未**盈利**。
    * Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn yíngyè'é hěn gāo, dàn gōngsī shàngwèi **yínglì**.
    * English: Although the sales turnover is high, the company has not yet made a profit.
    * Analysis: This highlights the difference between revenue (营业额) and profit (盈利), a key business distinction.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 我们需要找到新的**盈利**增长点。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào zhǎodào xīn de **yínglì** zēngzhǎng diǎn.
    * English: We need to find new profit growth points.
    * Analysis: **盈利增长点 (yínglì zēngzhǎng diǎn)** is a business-strategy term for new areas or products that can drive profit growth.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between **盈利 (yínglì)**, **利润 (lìrùn)**, and **赚钱 (zhuànqián)**.
    * **盈利 (yínglì):** (Verb/Noun) The formal term for the *act or state* of being profitable. Focuses on the overall performance.
    * **利润 (lìrùn):** (Noun only) The specific, countable amount of money left after subtracting costs. It's the "net profit" figure. You cannot use it as a verb.
    * **赚钱 (zhuànqián):** (Verb) The general, colloquial term for "to make money." Used for anything from a billion-dollar company to selling your old bike.
  * **Common Mistake 1: Using 盈利 in casual situations.**
    * **Incorrect:** 我今天卖了我的旧书，**盈利**了50块钱。(Wǒ jīntiān mài le wǒ de jiù shū, **yínglì** le 50 kuài qián.)
    * **Why it's wrong:** This sounds comically formal, like you're issuing a financial report for a garage sale.
    * **Correct:** 我今天卖了我的旧书，**赚了**50块钱。(Wǒ jīntiān mài le wǒ de jiù shū, **zhuàn le** 50 kuài qián.)
  * **Common Mistake 2: Using 利润 (lìrùn) as a verb.**
    * **Incorrect:** 我们公司去年**利润**了很多钱。(Wǒmen gōngsī qùnián **lìrùn** le hěn duō qián.)
    * **Why it's wrong:** **利润** is a noun only. It's the "what," not the "doing."
    * **Correct:** 我们公司去年的**利润**很高。(Wǒmen gōngsī qùnián de **lìrùn** hěn gāo.) - Our company's profit last year was very high.
    * **Correct:** 我们公司去年**盈利**了。(Wǒmen gōngsī qùnián **yínglì** le.) - Our company made a profit last year.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[利润]] (lìrùn) - Net profit; the specific, quantifiable amount of money a business makes. **盈利** is the state of being profitable, while **利润** is the number.
  * [[赚钱]] (zhuànqián) - The informal, everyday verb for "to make money." It's the colloquial counterpart to the formal **盈利**.
  * [[亏损]] (kuīsǔn) - To make a loss; deficit. This is the direct antonym of **盈利**.
  * [[收益]] (shōuyì) - Income or revenue. This is the total money that comes in //before// costs are deducted. Profit (盈利 or 利润) is收益 minus 成本.
  * [[成本]] (chéngběn) - Costs; the expenses incurred to produce a product or run a business.
  * [[营业额]] (yíngyè'é) - Sales turnover; the total value of goods or services sold in a specific period. A high营业额 does not guarantee **盈利**.
  * [[盈利能力]] (yínglì nénglì) - Profitability; a company's ability to generate profit. A key metric for investors.
  * [[盈利模式]] (yínglì móshì) - Profit model; the specific strategy a company uses to make money.