Chinese word

奴隶

Pronunciation

Pinyinnú lì

Meaning

  • nounslave

Example

我们不能把任何人当作奴隶。wǒ men bù néng bǎ rèn hé rén dàng zuò nú lì

We must not treat anyone as a slave.

Illustration for 奴隶 (slave)

More examples

许多历史学家研究了奴隶制度的形成和影响。xǔ duō lì shǐ xué jiā yán jiū le nú lì zhì dù de xíng chéng hé yíng xiǎng

Many historians have studied how slavery formed and its impact.

Core concept

A person placed completely under another person's ownership, control, and labor demands.

Common phrases

  • 奴隶制度nú lì zhì dù

    slave system

  • 成为奴隶chéng wéi nú lì

    become a slave

  • 奴隶主nú lì zhǔ

    slaveholder

  • 解放奴隶jiě fàng nú lì

    liberate slaves

Similar words

仆人pú rén: A person hired to clean a home and take care of the household's daily needs.
佣人yōng rén: A paid household worker hired to do housework and other small tasks.
劳工láo gōng: A worker who earns wages through physical labor or simple routine tasks.
雇工gù gōng: A hired worker who does physical labor or temporary jobs.

Definition in Chinese

被他人买卖、占有并被迫劳动、失去人身自由的人。bèi tā rén mǎi mài zhàn yǒu bìng bèi pò láo dòng shī qù rén shēn zì yóu de rén

Word origin

奴 (nú, "slave") + 隶 (lì, "servant") forms a compound that highlights dependence on another person and loss of freedom.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may use slave casually in phrases about work or habits, but the Chinese term carries the same serious human meaning and is not a casual synonym for a very busy or obedient person.

Opposites

Related words

  • 奴隶制度nú lì zhì dùslave systemnoun
  • 奴隶主nú lì zhǔslaveholdernoun
  • 奴隶化nú lì huàenslaveverb

Word lists with this word