yíngyè'é: 营业额 - Revenue, Turnover, Sales Volume

• Keywords: yingyee, 营业额, Chinese for revenue, business turnover in Chinese, sales volume in Chinese, company sales, gross revenue, financial terms in Mandarin, business Chinese, HSK 6 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese business term 营业额 (yíngyè'é), which means revenue, turnover, or sales volume. This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, cultural significance in China's economy, and practical usage. With over 10 example sentences and a clear explanation of how it differs from profit (利润), this guide is essential for anyone studying business Chinese or seeking to understand financial discussions in Mandarin.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yíngyè'é
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: The total amount of money a business receives from its sales of goods or services during a specific period.
• In a Nutshell: 营业额 (yíngyè'é) is the “top-line” number you see in a company's financial report. Before accounting for any costs like rent, salaries, or the price of materials, this is the total money that came into the cash register from customers. Think of it as the gross income from sales, representing the sheer scale of a business's operations. A high 营业额 shows a lot of activity, but doesn't necessarily mean the business is profitable.

• 营 (yíng): This character means “to operate,” “to manage,” or “to run,” specifically in the context of a business or camp. It's the “operate” in `经营 (jīngyíng)`, which means “to manage a business.”
• 业 (yè): This character refers to “business,” “industry,” or “profession.” You see it in words like `商业 (shāngyè)` (commerce) and `工业 (gōngyè)` (industry).
• 额 (é): This character means “amount,” “sum,” or “quota.” While it can also mean “forehead,” in financial contexts it always refers to a specific quantity of money.

The characters combine logically: 营 (operate) + 业 (business) + 额 (amount) = The total amount generated from operating a business.

In China's fast-paced and growth-oriented economy, 营业额 (yíngyè'é) is an extremely important metric, often discussed with as much weight as profit. While in Western business culture the ultimate goal is almost always the “bottom line” (profit), in China, a massive 营业额 can be a primary goal in itself. For startups and large corporations alike, a high turnover demonstrates market dominance, scale, and influence. It shows that the company is a major player, which can attract investors, talent, and government support, even if the company isn't profitable yet. This focus on scale and market share is a hallmark of many successful Chinese tech giants. A useful comparison is between 营业额 (yíngyè'é) and 利润 (lìrùn) - profit.

• 营业额 (yíngyè'é) is about the size of the business's activity.
• 利润 (lìrùn) is about the efficiency and health of the business.

In conversation, boasting about a high 营业额 can be a way to build “face” (面子, miànzi) and signal success, even if the underlying profitability is a more complex story.

营业额 (yíngyè'é) is a standard, somewhat formal term used across various contexts.

• In Business and Finance: It is a non-negotiable term in annual reports, financial news, investor meetings, and economic analyses. Journalists will report on a company's “季度营业额” (jìdù yíngyè'é) - quarterly revenue.
• In the Workplace: Teams and departments often have 营业额 targets (`营业额目标`, yíngyè'é mùbiāo). Managers will discuss strategies to increase it (`提高营业额`, tígāo yíngyè'é).
• For Small Businesses: Even a small restaurant owner or an online shopkeeper will use this term to refer to their daily, monthly, or yearly sales. They might say, “我们店今天营业额不错” (Our shop's turnover was pretty good today).

It's a neutral term, simply stating a financial fact. Its connotation becomes positive when it's high or growing, and negative when it's low or declining.

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司去年的营业额达到了一亿元。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī qùnián de yíngyè'é dádào le yī yì yuán.
  • English: Our company's revenue reached 100 million yuan last year.
  • Analysis: A standard, formal sentence you'd hear in a business report or meeting.
• Example 2:
  • 虽然营业额很高，但是成本也高，所以利润不多。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán yíngyè'é hěn gāo, dànshì chéngběn yě gāo, suǒyǐ lìrùn bù duō.
  • English: Although the revenue is high, the costs are also high, so there isn't much profit.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the crucial distinction between revenue and profit.
• Example 3:
  • 这家新开的奶茶店一天营业额有多少？
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā xīn kāi de nǎichá diàn yī tiān yíngyè'é yǒu duōshǎo?
  • English: How much is the daily turnover for this newly opened milk tea shop?
  • Analysis: Shows how the term is used for small, everyday businesses, not just large corporations.
• Example 4:
  • 疫情严重影响了旅游业的营业额。
  • Pinyin: Yìqíng yánzhòng yǐngxiǎng le lǚyóuyè de yíngyè'é.
  • English: The pandemic severely affected the tourism industry's revenue.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to talk about the impact of external events on business sales.
• Example 5:
  • 我们今年的营业额目标是比去年增长20%。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jīnnián de yíngyè'é mùbiāo shì bǐ qùnián zēngzhǎng bǎi fēn zhī èrshí.
  • English: Our revenue target for this year is a 20% increase compared to last year.
  • Analysis: Highlights the common collocation with “target” (`目标`, mùbiāo).
• Example 6:
  • 政府的减税政策希望能刺激消费，提高零售业的营业额。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ de jiǎnshuì zhèngcè xīwàng néng cìjī xiāofèi, tígāo língshòuyè de yíngyè'é.
  • English: The government's tax reduction policy hopes to stimulate consumption and increase the retail industry's turnover.
  • Analysis: A more formal example from the world of economics and policy.
• Example 7:
  • 公司的总营业额由国内和国外两部分组成。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de zǒng yíngyè'é yóu guónèi hé guówài liǎng bùfèn zǔchéng.
  • English: The company's total revenue is comprised of two parts: domestic and international.
  • Analysis: Introduces the term `总营业额` (zǒng yíngyè'é), meaning “total revenue.”
• Example 8:
  • 这家科技巨头刚刚公布了其第二季度的营业额。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā kējì jùtóu gānggāng gōngbù le qí dì'èr jìdù de yíngyè'é.
  • English: This tech giant just announced its revenue for the second quarter.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you would read in a financial news article.
• Example 9:
  • 为了增加营业额，我们决定搞一个促销活动。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zēngjiā yíngyè'é, wǒmen juédìng gǎo yī ge cùxiāo huódòng.
  • English: In order to increase revenue, we decided to run a sales promotion.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence about business strategy.
• Example 10:
  • 他的网店每个月的营业额都很稳定。
  • Pinyin: Tā de wǎngdiàn měi ge yuè de yíngyè'é dōu hěn wěndìng.
  • English: His online shop's monthly turnover is very stable.
  • Analysis: Another example showing its relevance for e-commerce and small-scale entrepreneurs.

• Mistake 1: Confusing Revenue with Profit.
  • This is the single most common misunderstanding for learners. 营业额 (yíngyè'é) is the total money in, while `利润 (lìrùn)` is what's left after all costs are paid.
  • Incorrect: 我们的营业额很高，所以我们赚了很多钱。(Our revenue is high, so we earned a lot of money.) → This might be untrue.
  • Correct: 我们的营业额很高，但是扣除成本后，利润并不高。(Our revenue is high, but after deducting costs, the profit isn't high.)
• Mistake 2: Using it for Personal Income.
  • 营业额 (yíngyè'é) is exclusively for business sales. For an individual's salary or income, you must use `收入 (shōurù)` or `工资 (gōngzī)`.
  • Incorrect: 我这个月的营业额是一万块。(My “turnover” this month is 10,000 RMB.)
  • Correct (if you are a salaried employee): 我这个月的收入是一万块。(My income this month is 10,000 RMB.)
  • Correct (if you own a business): 我的店这个月的营业额是一万块。(My store's turnover this month is 10,000 RMB.)
• 营业额 vs. 销售额 (xiāoshòu'é):
  • These two terms are very close and often used interchangeably. `销售额 (xiāoshòu'é)` translates to “sales volume” or “sales amount.” Generally, `营业额` can be seen as slightly broader, encompassing all operational revenue, while `销售额` might focus more specifically on the revenue from selling goods. In most everyday conversations, the difference is negligible.

• 利润 (lìrùn) - Profit. The money left after subtracting costs from 营业额. The most important related concept.
• 收入 (shōurù) - Income. A broader term. A company's 营业额 is a type of `收入`, but `收入` can also refer to personal salary, rent, etc.
• 成本 (chéngběn) - Costs. The expenses required to run a business, which are subtracted from revenue.
• 销售额 (xiāoshòu'é) - Sales Volume/Amount. A very close synonym, often interchangeable with 营业额.
• 亏损 (kuīsǔn) - A financial loss. The opposite of `利润 (lìrùn)`.
• 净利润 (jìnglìrùn) - Net Profit. The final “bottom line” profit after all expenses, taxes, and interest have been deducted.
• 毛利 (máolì) - Gross Profit. The profit before deducting operational expenses; simply 营业额 minus the cost of goods sold.
• 经营 (jīngyíng) - To operate, to manage. The verb form related to the `营` in 营业额.
• 季度 (jìdù) - Quarter (of a year). Financial results like 营业额 are often reported quarterly.
• 同比增长 (tóngbǐ zēngzhǎng) - Year-on-year growth. A common phrase used to describe the change in 营业额 from one year to the next.