máo lì: 毛利 - Gross Profit, Māori

• Keywords: maoli, máo lì, 毛利, what is maoli, Chinese for gross profit, Chinese for Māori, business Chinese, profit in Chinese, Chinese finance terms, gross margin, revenue, net profit.
• Summary: A versatile and important term, 毛利 (máo lì) primarily means “gross profit” in a business or financial context. It represents the initial profit a company makes before deducting operational expenses. However, depending on the context, it is also the standard Chinese transliteration for the Māori people of New Zealand. Understanding the context is key to correctly interpreting this common and practical word.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): máo lì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Essential for business Chinese)
• Concise Definition: The difference between revenue and the cost of making a product or providing a service.
• In a Nutshell: In business, 毛利 (máo lì) is the “raw” profit. Imagine you sell a t-shirt for $20 and it cost you $5 in fabric and labor to make. Your 毛利 is $15. The character 毛 (máo), which usually means “hair,” here takes on its other meaning of “gross,” “raw,” or “unrefined.” It's the profit before you subtract other costs like rent, marketing, and salaries.

• 毛 (máo): While its most common meaning is “hair,” “fur,” or “feather,” in this economic context, 毛 means “gross,” “raw,” or “rough.” Think of it as the initial figure before anything has been trimmed away or refined.
• 利 (lì): This character clearly means “profit,” “benefit,” or “advantage.” It's a core component of many words related to finance and gain.
• The characters combine logically: Gross/Raw (毛) + Profit (利) = Gross Profit (毛利).

毛利 (máo lì) is not a term with deep ancient roots; rather, it's a modern, technical term that reflects China's integration into the global economy. It's a direct equivalent of the Western accounting concept of “gross profit.” Its significance lies in its widespread use and what it represents: the pragmatic, numbers-driven nature of modern Chinese business. While traditional Chinese culture sometimes held a complex or even suspicious view of commerce and profit (利, lì), modern discourse treats terms like 毛利 with neutrality. It's a standard metric for measuring a company's health and efficiency. In the West, “gross profit” is a standard line item on an income statement. In China, 毛利 functions identically. It's a universal language of business. The cultural aspect is simply how seamlessly this and other Western financial terms have been adopted into the everyday language of Chinese commerce, media, and even casual conversation about business.

This term is used almost exclusively in two distinct contexts. The context of the conversation makes the meaning immediately clear.

• In Business and Finance: This is the most common usage. You will hear and see 毛利 constantly in financial news reports, company annual reports (年报, niánbào), business meetings, and discussions about a company's performance. It's often discussed alongside its close relative, 毛利率 (máo lì lǜ), or gross profit margin.
• As a Transliteration for “Māori”: When discussing New Zealand, indigenous peoples, history, or even sports (like rugby), 毛利 refers to the Māori people. It's a standard phonetic transliteration. To be more specific, people will often say 毛利人 (Máo lì rén), which means “Māori person/people.”

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司今年的毛利有了显著的增长。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī jīnnián de máo lì yǒule xiǎnzhù de zēngzhǎng.
  • English: Our company's gross profit has grown significantly this year.
  • Analysis: A straightforward and common sentence you might hear in a business meeting or read in a report.
• Example 2:
  • 你能帮我计算一下这个产品的毛利是多少吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ jìsuàn yīxià zhège chǎnpǐn de máo lì shì duōshǎo ma?
  • English: Can you help me calculate what the gross profit of this product is?
  • Analysis: A practical question in a business setting, asking for a specific calculation.
• Example 3:
  • 降低生产成本是提高毛利的关键。
  • Pinyin: Jiàngdī shēngchǎn chéngběn shì tígāo máo lì de guānjiàn.
  • English: Lowering production costs is the key to increasing gross profit.
  • Analysis: This sentence discusses business strategy, showing the relationship between cost (成本) and gross profit (毛利).
• Example 4:
  • 财经新闻报道，这家科技巨头的毛利超出了分析师的预期。
  • Pinyin: Cáijīng xīnwén bàodào, zhè jiā kējì jùtóu de máo lì chāochūle fēnxī shī de yùqī.
  • English: Financial news reported that the tech giant's gross profit exceeded analysts' expectations.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the term's use in formal media contexts.
• Example 5:
  • 毛利和净利是两个不同的概念，你需要分清楚。
  • Pinyin: Máo lì hé jìng lì shì liǎng ge bùtóng de gàiniàn, nǐ xūyào fēn qīngchǔ.
  • English: Gross profit and net profit are two different concepts; you need to distinguish between them clearly.
  • Analysis: A useful sentence for learners, explicitly highlighting the distinction between gross profit (毛利) and net profit (净利).
• Example 6:
  • 虽然我们的营业额很高，但是毛利太低了。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒmen de yíngyè'é hěn gāo, dànshì máo lì tài dī le.
  • English: Although our revenue is high, our gross profit is too low.
  • Analysis: This shows the practical relationship between revenue (营业额) and gross profit. High sales don't always mean high profitability.
• Example 7:
  • 毛利人是新西兰的原住民族。
  • Pinyin: Máo lì rén shì Xīnxīlán de yuánzhù mínzú.
  • English: The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.
  • Analysis: This is the primary example of the term's usage as a transliteration. The context (New Zealand, indigenous people) makes the meaning unambiguous.
• Example 8:
  • 我对毛利文化和他们的传统战舞很感兴趣。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ duì Máo lì wénhuà hé tāmen de chuántǒng zhàn wǔ hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • English: I'm very interested in Māori culture and their traditional war dance (the Haka).
  • Analysis: Another example of the transliteration, used here to refer to the culture associated with the people.
• Example 9:
  • 手机行业的整体毛利正在逐年下降。
  • Pinyin: Shǒujī hángyè de zhěngtǐ máo lì zhèngzài zhúnián xiàjiàng.
  • English: The overall gross profit of the mobile phone industry is declining year by year.
  • Analysis: Discusses an industry-wide trend, a common use case in economic analysis.
• Example 10:
  • 如果一个新西兰人说起毛利，他很可能指的是毛利人，而不是公司的利润。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ yīgè Xīnxīlán rén shuō qǐ máo lì, tā hěn kěnéng zhǐ de shì Máo lì rén, ér bùshì gōngsī de lìrùn.
  • English: If a New Zealander talks about “Māori,” he is most likely referring to the Māori people, not a company's profit.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly explains the importance of context for learners.

• The Gross Profit vs. Māori Confusion: The single biggest pitfall is mixing up the two distinct meanings. Context is your best friend. If the conversation involves business, finance, sales, or products, it means “gross profit.” If it involves New Zealand, anthropology, indigenous culture, or history, it means “Māori.” Chinese speakers navigate this distinction effortlessly based on the topic.
  • Correct: 这家公司的毛利很高。(This company's gross profit is high.)
  • Correct: 毛利人是新西兰的原住民。(The Māori people are the indigenous people of New Zealand.)
  • Incorrect: 这家公司的毛利人很高。 (This makes no sense.)
• The “Hairy Profit” Trap: Do not literally translate the characters as “hair profit.” While 毛 (máo) most often means hair, it has several meanings. In this compound word, it definitively means “gross” or “raw.” Resisting the urge to apply a character's most common meaning in all situations is a key step in learning Chinese.

• 净利 (jìng lì) - Net profit. This is the profit after all expenses (including salaries, rent, taxes) are deducted from revenue. It's what's left after subtracting more from 毛利.
• 利润 (lì rùn) - Profit. A more general term for profit or earnings. 毛利 and 净利 are specific types of 利润.
• 成本 (chéng běn) - Cost. Specifically, this often refers to the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), which is what you subtract from revenue to get 毛利.
• 营业额 (yíng yè é) - Revenue / Turnover. The total amount of money generated from sales, before any costs are subtracted. The starting point for profit calculations.
• 毛利率 (máo lì lǜ) - Gross Profit Margin. A percentage calculated by dividing 毛利 by revenue. It's a key indicator of a company's financial health.
• 亏损 (kuī sǔn) - A loss / to make a loss. The opposite of making a profit.
• 盈利 (yíng lì) - To make a profit, or the profit itself. Often used interchangeably with 利润.
• 毛利人 (Máo lì rén) - Māori people. Using 人 (rén) makes it explicitly clear you are talking about the people and not the financial term.