income

/ˈɪnkʌm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪnkʌm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈin-ˌkəm also ˈin-kəm or ˈiŋ-kəm/ (ame, mw)

income — 名詞

1. The regular flow of money someone receives from working, from investments or pro

1.名詞A2
釋義

收入；所得

個人定期獲得的金錢

The regular flow of money someone receives from working, from investments or property they own, or from government support such as a pension.

例句

After Naoko got her first job, she earned a monthly income for the first time.

Naoko 找到第一份工作後，開始每月賺取收入。

Samir's investment income from rental properties allowed him to retire at fifty-five.

Samir 來自租賃房產的投資收入，讓他在五十五歲時就能退休。

collocation: investment income

同義詞
  • earnings

    more specific to money gained from work or investments over time, often used in official contexts

  • salary

    limited to a fixed regular payment from an employer, usually expressed as an annual figure

  • wages

    hourly or daily pay, typically for manual or part-time work

  • revenue

    used mostly for organizations or governments, not individuals

反義詞

用法筆記

Frequently uncountable when the focus is on a general flow of money; countable when specifying a particular amount or source ('They now have two incomes from different jobs').

常見錯誤

❌I earn a big income from my job.
✅I earn a high income from my job.
💡'Big' is not the natural collocate with 'income'; use 'high' or 'large.'
❌My income is only my salary.
✅My income includes my salary, investment returns, and some freelance payments.
💡Income is broader than salary; it covers all money received, not just pay from a job.

2. The money that a business earns from its activities during a specific period, es

2.名詞B2
釋義

收益；盈餘

公司在特定時期的獲利

The money that a business earns from its activities during a specific period, especially the amount that remains after costs have been deducted.

例句

The company reported a net income of five million dollars this quarter.

該公司本季報告淨收益為五百萬美元。

collocation: net income

Élise's job was to prepare the income statement before the board meeting.

Élise 的工作是在董事會開會前準備好損益表。

同義詞
  • profit

    emphasizes what remains after all expenses are subtracted; slightly narrower than 'income'

  • revenue

    total money coming in before any costs are deducted; broader than 'income'

  • earnings

    common in financial reporting ('earnings per share'); interchangeable with 'income' in many business contexts

反義詞
  • loss

    when expenses exceed income

用法筆記

In business contexts, 'income' is often paired with a modifier such as 'net,' 'gross,' or 'operating' to specify what is included. Distinguish from 'revenue,' which refers to total money coming in before any costs are subtracted.

常見錯誤

❌The company's income was five million dollars before paying any costs.
✅The company's revenue was five million dollars before costs; its net income was lower.
💡For pre-cost figures, use 'revenue'; 'income' usually means earnings after relevant deductions.