xiaoshou: 销售 - Sales, To Sell

• Keywords: xiaoshou, xiao shou, 销售, sales in Chinese, to sell in Chinese, Chinese word for marketing, xiaoshou meaning, Chinese business vocabulary, sales department Chinese
• Summary: Discover the essential Chinese business term 销售 (xiāoshòu), which means “sales” or “to sell.” This comprehensive guide explores its meaning, character origins, cultural significance in modern Chinese commerce, and practical usage. With over 10 example sentences and a breakdown of common mistakes, this page is perfect for learners looking to master key business vocabulary and understand the difference between formal “sales” and the simple act of “selling.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiāo shòu
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To sell (in a commercial context); sales (as a business function or concept).
• In a Nutshell: 销售 (xiāoshòu) is the formal, professional term for “sales.” Think of it not just as the simple act of exchanging goods for money, but as the entire business process: strategy, distribution, marketing, and the work of a sales department. While the basic word `卖 (mài)` means “to sell,” `销售 (xiāoshòu)` elevates the concept to a corporate or commercial level.

• 销 (xiāo): This character's original meaning relates to melting metal, but it has extended to mean “to cancel,” “to spend,” or “to make disappear.” In the context of sales, you can think of it as “eliminating” or “dispersing” a company's inventory of products.
• 售 (shòu): This character directly means “to sell.” It's composed of `隹` (zhuī - a short-tailed bird) over `口` (kǒu - mouth). One can imagine a merchant hawking their wares, calling out to customers.
• Together, 销售 (xiāoshòu) combines the idea of dispersing inventory (销) through the act of selling (售), creating a formal term that represents the entire business function of sales.

The term 销售 (xiāoshòu) is a cornerstone of modern Chinese business vocabulary and reflects China's economic transformation since the “Reform and Opening Up” (改革开放, gǎigé kāifàng). Before this period, commerce was centrally planned, and the concept of competitive “sales” was not prominent. Today, it's at the heart of the country's vibrant market economy. A key cultural distinction is its formality compared to the Western concept of “selling.” In English, “sales” can refer to a kid's lemonade stand or a multinational corporation's revenue. In Chinese, 销售 (xiāoshòu) is almost exclusively used in a professional, business context. You would never use it to describe selling your old bike to a friend; for that, you'd use the simpler verb 卖 (mài). Working in 销售 (xiāoshòu) is a very common but high-pressure job in China, often with a strong emphasis on meeting monthly or quarterly targets (业绩, yèjì). It's a role that requires not only skill but also strong interpersonal relationships, or 关系 (guānxi), to secure and maintain clients.

销售 (xiāoshòu) is used constantly in business, on job sites, and in corporate settings. Its usage is almost always formal and professional.

• As a Noun: It often refers to the concept of sales, a sales department, or a sales-related role.
  • `销售部 (xiāoshòu bù)` - Sales Department
  • `销售经理 (xiāoshòu jīnglǐ)` - Sales Manager
  • `销售人员 (xiāoshòu rényuán)` - Sales personnel / Salesperson
  • `销售额 (xiāoshòu'é)` - Sales volume / revenue
• As a Verb: It means “to sell” on a commercial scale. It's the action a company performs, not an individual in a casual setting.
  • `销售产品 (xiāoshòu chǎnpǐn)` - To sell products
  • `销售服务 (xiāoshòu fúwù)` - To sell services

The connotation is neutral, simply describing a business function. However, the work itself (`销售工作, xiāoshòu gōngzuò`) is often perceived as challenging and stressful.

• Example 1:
  • 我是做销售的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shì zuò xiāoshòu de.
  • English: I work in sales.
  • Analysis: This is a very common way to state your profession. `做…的 (zuò…de)` is a standard pattern for saying what you “do” for a living.
• Example 2:
  • 他在苹果公司的销售部工作。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài Píngguǒ gōngsī de xiāoshòu bù gōngzuò.
  • English: He works in the sales department at Apple Inc.
  • Analysis: Here, `销售` functions as a noun modifying `部 (bù)`, meaning “department.” This shows its use in describing corporate structure.
• Example 3:
  • 这个季度的销售额超过了我们的预期。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jìdù de xiāoshòu'é chāoguò le wǒmen de yùqī.
  • English: This quarter's sales volume exceeded our expectations.
  • Analysis: `销售额 (xiāoshòu'é)` is a key business metric meaning “sales volume” or “turnover.” This is a perfect example of its formal, quantitative use.
• Example 4:
  • 我们公司主要销售环保材料。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī zhǔyào xiāoshòu huánbǎo cáiliào.
  • English: Our company mainly sells environmentally friendly materials.
  • Analysis: `销售` is used as a verb here, indicating the primary commercial activity of the company. It's more formal than saying `我们公司主要卖… (wǒmen gōngsī zhǔyào mài…)`.
• Example 5:
  • 一个好的销售策略是成功的关键。
  • Pinyin: Yīge hǎo de xiāoshòu cèlüè shì chénggōng de guānjiàn.
  • English: A good sales strategy is the key to success.
  • Analysis: `销售` is used here as an adjective to describe the noun `策略 (cèlüè)`, meaning strategy.
• Example 6:
  • 他们的销售网络遍布全国。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de xiāoshòu wǎngluò biànbù quánguó.
  • English: Their sales network covers the entire country.
  • Analysis: `销售网络 (xiāoshòu wǎngluò)` means “sales network” or “distribution network,” another common business-related collocation.
• Example 7:
  • 由于市场竞争激烈，我们的销售压力很大。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú shìchǎng jìngzhēng jīliè, wǒmen de xiāoshòu yālì hěn dà.
  • English: Due to fierce market competition, our sales pressure is very high.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the cultural perception of sales jobs. `销售压力 (xiāoshòu yālì)` or “sales pressure” is a widely understood concept.
• Example 8:
  • 今年公司的销售目标是多少？
  • Pinyin: Jīnnián gōngsī de xiāoshòu mùbiāo shì duōshao?
  • English: What is the company's sales target for this year?
  • Analysis: `销售目标 (xiāoshòu mùbiāo)` or “sales target” is fundamental to any sales role in China.
• Example 9:
  • 为了提高销售量，我们决定进行促销活动。
  • Pinyin: Wèile tígāo xiāoshòuliàng, wǒmen juédìng jìnxíng cùxiāo huódòng.
  • English: In order to increase sales volume, we decided to carry out a promotional event.
  • Analysis: `销售量 (xiāoshòu liàng)` is another way to say “sales volume” (quantity), distinct from `销售额 (xiāoshòu'é)` (monetary value).
• Example 10:
  • 招聘广告上写着“诚聘销售代表数名”。
  • Pinyin: Zhāopìn guǎnggào shàng xiězhe “chéngpìn xiāoshòu dàibiǎo shù míng”.
  • English: The job advertisement says, “Sincerely recruiting several sales representatives.”
  • Analysis: `销售代表 (xiāoshòu dàibiǎo)` is a formal title for “sales representative.” This is exactly how you would see the term used in a real-world context like a job search.

The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing 销售 (xiāoshòu) with the more general verb 卖 (mài). Think of it as a “false friend” to the English word “sell” in certain contexts.

• 卖 (mài): Use this for general, everyday selling. It's the action itself.
  • Correct: 我想卖掉我的旧电脑。 (Wǒ xiǎng màidiào wǒ de jiù diànnǎo.) - I want to sell my old computer.
  • Incorrect: 我想销售我的旧电脑。 (Wǒ xiǎng xiāoshòu wǒ de jiù diànnǎo.) - This sounds extremely strange, as if you are a one-person company formally launching your old computer into the market.
• 销售 (xiāoshòu): Use this for business, corporate, and formal contexts. It refers to the professional function of sales.
  • Correct: 这家公司销售汽车。 (Zhè jiā gōngsī xiāoshòu qìchē.) - This company sells cars.
  • Less common: 这家公司卖汽车。 (Zhè jiā gōngsī mài qìchē.) - This is grammatically correct and understandable, but `销售` is more professional and common in written or formal business language.

Rule of Thumb: If you're talking about a company's business activities, a department, or a professional strategy, use 销售 (xiāoshòu). If you're talking about an individual selling a personal item, use 卖 (mài).

• 卖 (mài) - The basic, everyday verb “to sell.” It's the direct action, whereas `销售` is the business function.
• 营销 (yíngxiāo) - Marketing. This is a broader concept than `销售`. `营销` includes market research, advertising, and branding, while `销售` is more focused on the act of selling and closing deals.
• 推销 (tuīxiāo) - To promote sales, to push a product. Can sometimes imply a more aggressive “hard sell” tactic compared to the more neutral `销售`.
• 促销 (cùxiāo) - Sales promotion. Refers to specific activities like discounts, “buy one get one free,” or limited-time offers to boost sales.
• 业绩 (yèjì) - Performance, track record. In a sales context, this almost always refers to a salesperson's or a department's sales figures.
• 客户 (kèhù) - Client, customer. The target of all `销售` activities.
• 市场 (shìchǎng) - Market. The environment where `销售` takes place.
• 采购 (cǎigòu) - To purchase, procure. This is the “buy side” of a business transaction, the direct counterpart to `销售`.
• 营业员 (yíngyèyuán) - Shop assistant, clerk. A person who sells in a retail setting; a more specific role than the broader `销售人员`.