profits

profits — 名詞

IPA/ˈprɒf.ɪt/
KK[prˈɑfɪts]IPA/ˈprɑː.fɪt/
  • profitssingular
  • profitsesplural

1. the money a business keeps after paying all the costs of making or selling its p

1.名詞B1
釋義

利潤

收入扣除成本後的金額

the money a business keeps after paying all the costs of making or selling its products or services — for example, if a shop takes in $100,000 and spends $80,000, its profit is $20,000

例句

After paying staff and rent, the bakery's annual profits were over fifty thousand dollars.

支付員工薪資和店鋪租金後，這家麵包店的年利潤超過五萬美元。

The company's profits fell sharply last year because the cost of materials went up.

這家公司的利潤去年大幅下降，因為原料成本上漲了。

collocation: profits fell / profits rose

同義詞
  • earnings

    broader term; includes wages, investment returns, not just business profit

  • return

    focuses on the gain relative to the money invested

  • revenue

    total money received before costs are subtracted — not the same as profit

反義詞
  • loss

    when costs exceed income

文法句型

profit + verb (fall/rise/grow)

make/turn a profit

用法筆記

Commonly used in the plural form (profits) in business contexts. The singular profit is uncountable when talking about the general concept: 'The business is run for profit.' Fixed phrases like 'turn a profit', 'show a profit', 'be in profit', and 'move into profit' describe the transition to profitability — these are special collocations of this financial sense, not a separate meaning.

常見錯誤

❌The company made a big profit last year, but it needs to increase the profit next year.
✅The company made a big profit last year, but it needs to increase profits next year.
💡In general business discussion, use the plural profits.

2. a helpful or valuable result that you get from doing something, even if no money

2.名詞B2
釋義

好處

行動帶來的好結果或優勢

a helpful or valuable result that you get from doing something, even if no money is involved — for example, the profit of regular exercise is better health

例句

Yan gained no real profit from attending the meeting, since nothing was decided.

Yan 參加那次會議沒有得到什麼實質好處，因為什麼都沒有決定。

collocation: gain profit from

There is little profit in arguing with someone who refuses to listen to your point.

和一個拒絕聽你觀點的人爭論沒有任何益處。

structure: there is little profit in + V-ing

同義詞
  • benefit

    the most common modern word for this meaning; more natural in everyday speech

  • advantage

    focuses on the edge or improvement gained

  • gain

    emphasises the acquisition of something positive

反義詞

文法句型

profit of + noun/verb-ing

there is little/no profit in + verb-ing

用法筆記

This sense is less common in modern English. It often appears in fixed patterns like 'there is little/no profit in' or 'for profit' (meaning 'not for fun but for a useful purpose').

常見錯誤

❌The profit of studying hard is better grades.' (sounds old-fashioned)
✅The benefit of studying hard is better grades.
💡The ADVANTAGE sense of 'profit' sounds formal or dated; 'benefit' is more natural in everyday speech.

profits — 動詞

IPA/pɹˈɒfɪts/
KK[prˈɑfɪts]IPA/prˈɑːfɪts/