shēng yi
business
这家店的生意很好。
zhè jiā diàn de shēnɡ yì hěn hǎo .
This store is doing well.
祝你生意兴隆。
zhù nǐ shēnɡ yì xīnɡ lónɡ .
Good luck with your business.
我是生意人。
wǒ shì shēnɡ yì rén .
I'm a businessman.
买卖 (mǎi mài)
trade
事业 (shì yè)
career
亏本 (kuīběn)
lose money
失败 (shībài)
fail
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The Chinese word 生意 (shēngyì) for "business" is composed of two characters: 生 (shēng), meaning "life" or "birth," and 意 (yì), meaning "idea" or "intention." Together, these characters convey the idea of "making a living" or "earning a livelihood."The earliest recorded use of the word 生意 in this sense dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). However, the term was not widely used until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), when it became the standard term for "business."生意 is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts. It can refer to any type of commercial activity, from small businesses to large corporations. It can also be used to refer to the process of making money, or to the state of being in business.For example, the phrase 做生意 (zuò shēngyì) means "to do business," while the phrase 生意兴隆 (shēngyì xīnglóng) means "may your business prosper."The word 生意 is an important part of the Chinese language, and it reflects the country's long history of commerce and trade.
