The term '劳工' refers to the labor force, particularly manual workers, often discussed in legal and economic contexts.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Refers to manual laborers or the working class in general.
- Commonly used in legal, political, and socio-economic contexts.
- Emphasizes the rights and protection of the labor force.
Overview
- 1概述：‘劳工’一词主要指代体力劳动者或受雇佣的工人阶级。在现代语境下，它不仅指代个人，也常用于指代整个劳动群体或阶层，具有较强的集体属性。2) 使用模式：常用作主语或宾语，也常作为定语修饰其他名词，如‘劳工法’、‘劳工权益’。它通常出现在宏观的社会经济讨论中，而非微观的办公室日常对话。3) 常见语境：常见于新闻报道、政府文件、社会科学研究以及法律文本中。特别是在讨论移民政策、劳动保护、产业结构调整或国际贸易时频繁出现。4) 同类词比较：与‘工人’相比，‘劳工’更具法律和政治色彩，常用于宏观叙事；而‘工人’更具体，常指工厂里的劳动者。‘员工’则是一个更中性的商业术语，涵盖了从体力劳动者到管理层的各种受雇人员。
Examples
许多外籍劳工在建筑工地辛苦工作。
everydayMany foreign laborers work hard at construction sites.
政府出台了新的劳工政策以应对失业问题。
formalThe government issued a new labor policy to address unemployment.
劳工短缺已经成为制约该地区经济发展的因素。
academicLabor shortage has become a factor restricting the economic development of the region.
这些劳工正在为改善工作条件而斗争。
informalThese workers are fighting for better working conditions.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
廉价劳工
cheap labor
劳工市场
labor market
劳工运动
labor movement
Often Confused With
Refers specifically to factory or manual workers; it is more concrete and less formal than '劳工'.
A general term for all employees in a company, including office staff and management.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
'劳工' is a formal term often found in news, laws, and academic papers. It is neutral but carries a sense of collective identity and social class. In daily conversation, people are more likely to use '工人' or '打工的' (informal).
Common Mistakes
Do not use '劳工' to refer to high-level executives, creative professionals, or freelancers. It is also not used as a direct form of address to a person.
Tips
Use for formal labor rights discussions
Use '劳工' when discussing labor rights, laws, or market statistics to sound more professional.
Avoid as a direct form of address
Never address a worker as '劳工' directly. It sounds impersonal; use '师傅' (Shīfu) or their job title instead.
Association with social movements
In many Chinese-speaking regions, '劳工' is heavily associated with the history of industrialization and labor unions.
Word Origin
'劳' (láo) means labor or toil, and '工' (gōng) means worker or craft. Combined, it denotes those who provide physical labor.
Cultural Context
The term is central to discussions about the 'Migrant Worker' (民工) phenomenon in mainland China and labor unions in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Memory Tip
Imagine '劳' (labor/toil) and '工' (work/tool). Together they represent the people who toil with tools for a living.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions“工人”通常指在工厂工作的人，比较口语化。而“劳工”是一个更广义且正式的术语，常出现在法律、政策和学术讨论中。
一般不建议。虽然从经济学角度他们也是劳动者，但“劳工”在中文语境中通常暗示体力劳动或基层受雇者。
指跨越国境到另一个国家从事劳务工作的劳动者，通常受特定签证政策约束，俗称‘外劳’。
它是一个中性词，但在维权和政治讨论中往往带有需要被社会关注和保护的色彩。
Test Yourself
为了保障基本权利，这些___决定举行罢工。
‘劳工’是受雇劳动者，罢工是劳工争取权益的常见手段。
政府最近颁布了新的____法。
‘劳工法’是固定法律术语。
许多 / 正在 / 权益 / 争取 / 劳工 / 自己的
该句主语为‘许多劳工’，谓语为‘正在争取’，宾语为‘自己的权益’。
Score: /3
Summary
The term '劳工' refers to the labor force, particularly manual workers, often discussed in legal and economic contexts.
- Refers to manual laborers or the working class in general.
- Commonly used in legal, political, and socio-economic contexts.
- Emphasizes the rights and protection of the labor force.
Use for formal labor rights discussions
Use '劳工' when discussing labor rights, laws, or market statistics to sound more professional.
Avoid as a direct form of address
Never address a worker as '劳工' directly. It sounds impersonal; use '师傅' (Shīfu) or their job title instead.
Association with social movements
In many Chinese-speaking regions, '劳工' is heavily associated with the history of industrialization and labor unions.
Examples
4 of 4许多外籍劳工在建筑工地辛苦工作。
Many foreign laborers work hard at construction sites.
政府出台了新的劳工政策以应对失业问题。
The government issued a new labor policy to address unemployment.
劳工短缺已经成为制约该地区经济发展的因素。
Labor shortage has become a factor restricting the economic development of the region.
这些劳工正在为改善工作条件而斗争。
These workers are fighting for better working conditions.
Related Content
Related Vocabulary
More work words
充裕的
B2Abundant, ample, or sufficient in quantity.
事故
A2accident; mishap
依照
A2According to; in accordance with.
准确地
A2accurately, precisely
做到
A2to achieve; to accomplish
积极地
A2actively; enthusiastically
应变
B2Adaptive; capable of dealing with emergencies.
行政
A2Administration; the management of affairs.
过后
A2Afterwards; at a later or subsequent time.
赞同
A2To approve of, to endorse; to agree with or support.
