“paper”在这里是“纸上”这一意思的延伸，指账面。

Paper loss即账面损失；未实现损失。

指已发生而尚未实现的损失，如持有的证券价格下跌，则会有账面损失，但只有在抛售证券之后，才会变为实际损失。

A loss on an investment that has not yet been realized. That is, a paper loss occurs when the current price of a security which is still owned by the holder is lower than the price the holder paid for it. As a result, it is possible that the paper loss might be erased if the price increases again. A paper loss represents a decrease in one's net worth, but it may or may not affect one's lifestyle. 

paper profit指账面利润；未实现利润。

可期待而未实现的利润，如拥有的证券，由于市价上升而含有的未实现的利润，只有在证券最终以高于原购入价的价格出售后才能变成实际利润。

A gain on an investment that has not yet been realized. That is, a paper gain occurs when the current price of a security is higher than the price the holder paid for it, but the holder still owns the security. As a result, there is the possibility that the paper gain might be erased if the price goes back down. A paper gain represents an increase in one's net worth, but it may or may not affect one's lifestyle.

一些投资者可能决定通过出售其股份将账面利润转换为实际利润。只有当资产所有者成功地以接近上涨价格出售该项目时，资产所有者才可能决定将其转换为实际利润。在这种情况下，利润将是原市场价值已从总销售价格中减去，包括税收和其他费用。这可以从一个投资者以一定金额购买计算机公司的股票的情况中看出。如果两年后股票的市值突然上升，投资者的股票上涨了40%，股票价值增加40%将是账面利润当股票持有人出售股票，扣除费用和税收后，这些账面利润将转化为实际利润，并至少实现30%至35%。

以下为相关双语示例，供参考：

账面损失估计是天文数字而且否认声明不会被接受；末日将至的预期理所当然地会自我实现。

Paper losses were estimated in astronomical numbers and denials were disbelieved; prophecies of doom were, in the nature of the case, self-fulfilling.

红利和账面利润—通常是判断财务经理和公司首脑的准绳—并不会改进一公司或是美国工业的竞争地位。

Dividends and paper profits, the yardstick by which managers of money and heads of companies are judged, do not improve the competitive position of a company or of American Industry.