Explanation at your level:
You use this when you talk about money. If you sell lemonade for 5 dollars but it cost 2 dollars to make, you have 3 dollars profit. You are making money!
When a business makes more money than it spends, we say it is profitable. It is a good thing for a company to be profitable because it means they can keep working.
To be profitable means a venture is financially successful. We often use this when discussing investments, new business ideas, or whether a project is worth the time and effort required to complete it.
Being profitable is the primary goal for most commercial enterprises. It implies that the entity has achieved a positive return on investment. It is often used in contrast to 'breaking even' or 'operating at a loss'.
The term denotes economic viability. When a project is described as profitable, it suggests that the underlying business model is robust enough to generate consistent margins over time, despite market volatility.
In advanced economic discourse, profitability is a measure of efficiency. It reflects the capacity of an organization to optimize its resources to maximize output relative to input. It is the hallmark of a healthy, scalable business entity in a competitive landscape.
30秒でわかる単語
- Profitable means making money.
- It is a business term.
- It is an adjective.
- Use it to describe success.
When we say something is profitable (수익성이 있다), we are talking about the sweet spot where money coming in is greater than money going out. It is the gold standard for any business project or investment.
Think of it as a balance scale. If the weight of your revenue tips the scale lower than your costs, you have a winner! It is a positive indicator that a venture is healthy and sustainable for the long term.
The concept of profit comes from the Latin profectus, meaning 'progress' or 'advance.' It implies that by making a gain, you are moving forward in your economic journey.
In Korean, the term combines 수익 (revenue/profit) and 성 (nature/characteristic). Together, it describes the inherent 'profit-making nature' of a specific object or plan. It has evolved from simple trade terminology to a cornerstone of modern corporate vocabulary.
You will hear this most often in professional settings. People use it to evaluate if a project is worth pursuing. Common phrases include 'highly profitable' or 'not very profitable'.
It is a neutral, objective term. You can use it in a casual board meeting or a formal annual report. It is less about greed and more about financial health and sustainability.
1. In the black: Being profitable. 2. Bottom line: The final profit figure. 3. Cash cow: A very profitable business. 4. Money spinner: Something that makes a lot of money. 5. Make a killing: To make a large profit very quickly.
As an adjective phrase, it functions to describe a noun or a situation. In English, we often use the adjective 'profitable'.
Pronunciation tip: Focus on the 'fit' sound in profitable. It rhymes with 'fit' and 'sit'. The stress is on the first syllable: PROF-it-able.
Fun Fact
It shares roots with 'perfect'.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'prof-it-uh-bull'
Sounds like 'prah-fit-uh-bull'
Common Errors
- mispronouncing the 't'
- stressing the wrong syllable
- swallowing the 'able'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
easy
easy
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
上級
Grammar to Know
Adjective usage
It is profitable.
Examples by Level
The store is profitable.
Store makes money
Simple S+V+Adj
This idea is profitable.
Is the business profitable?
We need a profitable plan.
They made a profitable deal.
It is not a profitable job.
Selling cookies is profitable.
He wants a profitable career.
The farm is very profitable.
The new app is highly profitable.
We are looking for profitable markets.
Is this investment profitable?
The company became profitable last year.
They focus on profitable segments.
It is a long-term profitable strategy.
He found a profitable niche.
The project is barely profitable.
The startup is finally profitable.
We need to identify profitable opportunities.
The venture proved to be profitable.
They abandoned the less profitable lines.
The firm maintains a profitable margin.
It is a sustainable and profitable model.
They seek to maximize profitable growth.
Is the acquisition likely to be profitable?
The business model is inherently profitable.
We must pivot to more profitable sectors.
The firm's profitable core remains strong.
They are divesting from non-profitable assets.
The strategy aims for long-term profitable returns.
Profitability is the key metric here.
The project shows signs of being profitable.
They are analyzing the profitable trends.
The enterprise has achieved a highly profitable status.
They are scrutinizing the profitable potential of the merger.
The sector is historically profitable.
The firm's profitable trajectory is unprecedented.
We are evaluating the most profitable avenues for expansion.
The venture's profitable outlook is promising.
They are optimizing their profitable output.
The company's profitable performance is commendable.
よく使う組み合わせ
Idioms & Expressions
"in the black"
making a profit
We are finally in the black.
business""
""
""
""
""
Easily Confused
both involve money
revenue is total, profit is net
Revenue is total sales; profit is what remains after costs.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + is + profitable
The shop is profitable.
語族
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
関連
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
よくある間違い
Don't say 'it profitabilities'.
Tips
Memory Palace
Put a gold coin in your pocket.
Business Context
Use it in meetings.
Capitalism
It is a key concept.
Adjective
It modifies nouns.
Clear T
Pronounce the T.
Don't use as verb
Use 'to profit'.
Profit vs Revenue
Revenue is total, profit is what's left.
Flashcards
Use with antonyms.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
PRO-Fit: Pros fit into the market to make money.
Visual Association
A green arrow pointing up on a graph.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Identify one business in your town that is profitable.
語源
Latin
Original meaning: progress
文化的な背景
None
Used heavily in corporate culture.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Business
- profitable venture
- profitable year
Conversation Starters
"Do you think this project is profitable?"
"What makes a business profitable?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a profitable idea.
よくある質問
8 問No, profitable describes a business, rich describes a person.
自分をテスト
The store is ___.
It describes a business making money.
Which means making money?
Profitable means gain.
A profitable business loses money.
Profitable means gaining money.
Word
意味
Synonyms match.
Subject-verb-adverb-adjective.
スコア： /5
Summary
Profitable means the money you make is more than the money you spent.
- Profitable means making money.
- It is a business term.
- It is an adjective.
- Use it to describe success.
Memory Palace
Put a gold coin in your pocket.
Business Context
Use it in meetings.
Capitalism
It is a key concept.
Adjective
It modifies nouns.
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