English–Chinese
“manual laborer” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinkǔ lì
Example
工地上那些苦力负责搬运材料。gōng dì shàng nà xiē kǔ lì fù zé bān yùn cái liào
The manual laborers at the construction site are responsible for moving materials.
How to say “manual laborer” in Chinese
“Manual laborer” in Chinese is 苦力 (kǔ lì).
A temporary laborer identified with strenuous carrying and loading rather than a specialized trade.
Example sentences with 苦力
他以苦力为生，生活很艰难。tā yǐ kǔ lì wéi shēng shēng huó hěn jiān nán
He earns a living through manual labor, and life is very difficult.
Tips for using 苦力
- For everyday speech, the term requires care because modern listeners may hear it as a derogatory or old-fashioned name for a worker rather than a simple job description.