cash cow                                           金雞母

A profitable business, property, or product whose profits may be used by the company to invest in other areas. A cash cow can also mean a buyer who has a great deal of money to spend.

cash cow 直譯為「現金牛」，顧名思義指的是有賺錢的事業、資產或產品，其利潤可以供公司去投資在其他地方。這類的業務通常都為公司帶來比維持業務所需還要多的現金收入。要注意的是，cash cow雖可以提供公司穩定的資金來源，但並不代表這些業務可以永無止境地替公司創造利潤。這個詞也可以指一個有很多錢可以花的買主 (buyer)。

A: Wow. Look at these sales numbers. Our cell phone division is really doing great again this year.

B: I know. They have the most sales, largest market share and highest profit of any unit in the company.

A: Those guys have been a real cash cow for our company for many years.

B: True. Last year their profits allowed us to build a new manufacturing center and invest in new technology.

A: 哇，看看這銷售數字。我們的手機部門今年真的又大賺錢了。

B: 是啊。他們擁有全公司所有單位中最多的業績、最大的市佔率、以及最高的利潤。

A: 那部門這些年來真的是我們公司的金雞母啊。

B: 沒錯。他們去年的利潤讓我們可以蓋個新的製造中心，而且投資在研發新科技上。

例句

1. “Wow, you doubled your sales from last month. How did you do it?” “I started making sales calls to a group of doctors. These guys are real cash cows and have a lot of money to invest.”

「哇，你上個月到這個月的銷售倍增耶。怎麼做到的？」「我開始打銷售電話給一群醫生。這些人真的是金雞母，有好多錢可以投資呢。」

2. This new actor has been a real cash cow for the movie studio.

這個新演員已經成為電影公司的金雞母。

單字及片語

division (n.) （機關、公司等）部門

market share 市場佔有率

profit (n.) 利潤；盈利

manufacturing (adj.) 製造（業）的

studio (n.) 電影製片場