매출

Let's talk about the Korean word 매출 (maechul). This is a super practical term, especially if you're interested in business, economics, or even just understanding the news in Korean. You'll hear it a lot in business contexts, and it's essential for anyone learning to discuss financial topics in Korean.

§ What does 매출 (maechul) mean?

Simply put, 매출 (maechul) means sales revenue. It refers to the total amount of money a company or business earns from selling its goods or services before any expenses are deducted. Think of it as the 'top line' number in a company's financial report.

DEFINITION

The total revenue generated from sales.

It's not about profit yet. Profit comes after you subtract costs like salaries, rent, and the cost of making the product. 매출 (maechul) is purely about how much money came in from sales.

§ When do people use it?

You'll encounter 매출 (maechul) in many different situations, primarily when discussing business performance or economic news. Here are some common scenarios:

• Business Reports: Companies will often announce their quarterly or annual 매출 (maechul) figures.
• Economic News: News articles will talk about industry-wide 매출 (maechul) trends or the 매출 (maechul) of major corporations.
• Discussions about Growth: If a business is growing, its 매출 (maechul) is likely increasing.
• Everyday Business Talk: Even in casual business conversations, you might hear people discussing the 매출 (maechul) of a particular store or product.

§ Examples in context

Our company's sales revenue increased a lot this month.

After the new product launch, sales revenue surged.

The sales revenue increased by 10% compared to last year.

We achieved our sales revenue target for this quarter.

As you can see from these examples, 매출 (maechul) is often used with verbs like 오르다 (oreuda - to rise), 증가하다 (jeunggahada - to increase), 감소하다 (gamssohada - to decrease), or 달성하다 (dalseonghada - to achieve).

§ Related words and phrases

To give you a broader understanding, let's look at some related terms:

• 순이익 (sun-iik): Net profit. This is what's left after all expenses are subtracted from 매출 (maechul).
• 판매 (panmae): Sale (the act of selling). 매출 (maechul) is the *result* of 판매 (panmae).
• 수입 (suip): Income or revenue (general term, can be from various sources, not just sales). 매출 (maechul) is a specific type of 수입 (suip).
• 수익 (su-ik): Profit or earnings (often used similarly to 순이익, but can also refer to broader returns).

Understanding the distinction between 매출 (maechul) and these other terms will significantly improve your comprehension of Korean business language. While they are related, they each have a specific meaning.

So, the next time you're reading a Korean news article about a company's performance or listening to a business discussion, keep an ear out for 매출 (maechul). You'll now know exactly what it means and why it's an important number!

§ What '매출' means

Korean Word

매출 (mae-chul)

English Definition

The total revenue generated from sales.

매출 is a common and important word to know, especially if you're interested in business or economics. It simply means the total money a company or store makes from selling its goods or services. It's not about profit, just the raw income from sales.

§ How to use '매출' in a sentence

매출 is a noun, so you'll typically see it used with particles like 이/가 (subject marker), 을/를 (object marker), or 의 (possessive marker).

• 매출이 (maechuri): When 매출 is the subject of the sentence.
• 매출을 (maechureul): When 매출 is the object of the sentence.
• 매출의 (maechurui): To show possession, like 'sales revenue's...'

Here are some common ways to use 매출:

Increase/Decrease in Sales

You'll often hear about 매출 increasing or decreasing. Use verbs like 증가하다 (jeung-ga-ha-da - to increase) or 감소하다 (gam-so-ha-da - to decrease).

Achieving Sales

To talk about making sales, you can use 올리다 (ol-li-da - to raise/achieve) or 달성하다 (dal-seong-ha-da - to achieve).

Sales Figures/Data

You can combine 매출 with other nouns to create phrases like 매출액 (maechuraek - sales amount) or 매출 통계 (maechul tonggye - sales statistics).

§ Understanding 매출 vs. 수입 (Suip)

Many learners, especially when starting out, confuse 매출 (maechul) with 수입 (suip). While both relate to money coming in, they are not interchangeable. 매출 specifically refers to the total sales revenue a business generates from selling its goods or services. Think of it as the 'top line' number before any expenses are deducted. 수입, on the other hand, is a broader term that can mean 'income' or 'revenue' in a more general sense, and it can also refer to 'imports.' You might hear '개인의 수입' (gaeinui suip) for an individual's income, but you wouldn't typically use '개인의 매출' (gaeinui maechul) unless that individual is running a business and talking about their sales.

§ Incorrectly Using 매출 to Mean 'Profit'

Another common mistake is to use 매출 when you actually mean 'profit.' Profit is the money left over after all expenses have been paid, while 매출 is the total money brought in from sales before expenses. The Korean word for profit is 이익 (i-ik) or 순이익 (sun-i-ik) for net profit. Mixing these up can lead to significant misunderstandings, especially in business contexts. If you're talking about how much money a company 'made' after paying for everything, you need 이익, not 매출.

DEFINITION

이익 (i-ik): Profit.

This sentence clearly shows the distinction: high sales don't always mean high profit. Expenses play a big role.

§ Using 매출 in Non-Business Contexts

매출 is primarily a business term. You wouldn't use it to describe, for example, the money you get from your part-time job or a gift. For those situations, words like 월급 (wolgeup - monthly salary), 용돈 (yongdon - allowance/pocket money), or 수입 (suip - income) would be more appropriate. While it might seem obvious to a native speaker, learners sometimes overgeneralize words they learn. Stick to using 매출 when talking about a company's or a store's sales performance.

This is a correct usage. It's about a store's sales.

§ Incorrect Particles or Verb Combinations with 매출

Like many Korean nouns, 매출 needs the right particles and verbs to form natural sentences. Common verbs used with 매출 include:

• 늘다 (neulda): to increase
• 줄다 (julda): to decrease
• 오르다 (oreuda): to rise
• 떨어지다 (tteoreojida): to fall
• 달성하다 (dalseonghada): to achieve

When talking about a specific amount of sales revenue, you'll often see the particle ~이/가 (i/ga) with 매출 if it's the subject, or ~을/를 (eul/reul) if it's the object. For example, '매출이 늘었다' (maechuri neureotda - sales revenue increased) or '매출을 달성했다' (maechureul dalseonghaetda - achieved sales revenue).

Avoid direct translations from English phrases that might not fit Korean grammar. For instance, you wouldn't say '매출을 만들다' (maechureul mandeulda - to make sales revenue) in the same way you might say 'make money' in English. Instead, use more appropriate verbs like '달성하다' (dalseonghada - to achieve) or '기록하다' (girokada - to record) when referring to sales figures.

§ 매출 (maechul): Sales Revenue

매출 (maechul) refers to the total amount of money a company or business earns from selling its products or services. Think of it as the 'top line' number before any expenses are taken out. It's a fundamental word in business and everyday commerce.

§ Similar words and when to use them

When you're talking about money coming into a business, you might hear a few different Korean words. While they all relate to income, they have specific meanings. Let's break down 매출 and its alternatives:

수익 (su-ik): Profit/Earnings/Revenue

This is a broader term than 매출. 수익 can refer to 'profit' (after expenses) or 'revenue' in a more general sense, encompassing not just sales but also other income sources like interest or investments. While 매출 specifically means 'sales revenue', 수익 is often used when discussing the overall financial gain or performance of a company.

소득 (so-deuk): Income

소득 is generally used for personal income, like a salary or wages. While a business also has 'income', 소득 is more commonly associated with an individual's earnings rather than a company's sales revenue. So, you wouldn't typically use 소득 to describe a company's total sales. However, if you're talking about a small, one-person business, the line can sometimes blur.

매상 (maesang): Sales Amount/Revenue (colloquial)

매상 is very similar to 매출 and is often used interchangeably, especially in more casual or everyday business contexts. It also refers to the total sales revenue. However, 매출 is generally considered the more formal and standard term used in official reports, financial statements, and business news. Think of 매상 as a slightly less formal synonym for 매출.

§ When to use 매출

Use 매출 when you are specifically talking about:

• The total income generated from selling goods or services.
• Company financial reports, quarterly/annual results.
• Discussing the volume or value of sales a business has made.
• Comparing sales figures over different periods (e.g., this month's sales vs. last month's sales).

In summary, while all these words relate to money coming in, 매출 is your go-to for 'sales revenue' from a business's primary activities. If you want to talk about overall profit after costs, use 수익. For personal earnings, use 소득. And for a slightly more casual 'sales amount', 매상 works.