Chinese word

民工

Pronunciation

Pinyinmín gōng

Meaning

  • nounmigrant worker

Example

民工在工地上工作。mín gōng zài gōng dì shàng gōng zuò

Migrant workers work on construction sites.

Illustration for 民工 (migrant worker)

More examples

民工的工资往往低于城市工人的平均水平。mín gōng de gōng zī wáng wǎng dī yú chéng shì gōng rén de píng jūn shuǐ píng

Migrant worker wages are often lower than the average for urban workers.

Core concept

A rural-to-city laborer whose work appears in construction, factories, and other practical workplaces.

Common phrases

  • 民工工资mín gōng gōng zī

    migrant worker wages

  • 民工流动mín gōng liú dòng

    migrant worker mobility

Similar words

农民工nóng mín gōng: A rural worker who takes paid employment in a city, often on construction sites or in manufacturing.
务工人员wù gōng rén yuán: People who work for wages in factories, on construction sites, and other practical workplaces.

Definition in Chinese

指离开家乡到城市打工、以体力劳动或简单生产劳动为生的人员，常见于建筑、制造和临时工岗位。zhǐ lí kāi jiā xiāng dào chéng shì dǎ gōng yǐ tǐ lì láo dòng huò jiǎn dān shēng chǎn láo dòng wéi shēng de rén yuán cháng jiàn yú jiàn zhù zhì zào hé lín shí gōng gǎng wèi

Word origin

民工 (míngōng, "migrant worker") combines 民 (mín, "the people") and 工 (gōng, "labor"), while modern usage connects the compound especially with rural people working in cities.

Usage tips

  • This noun normally has no plural ending, so numbers and context show whether it refers to one worker or a group.

Other meanings

  • worker from the countrysidenoun

Opposites

  • 城市居民chéng shì jū míncity residentnoun
  • 本地居民běn dì jū mínlocal residentnoun

Related words

  • 民工子女mín gōng zí nǚmigrant workers' childrennoun

Word lists with this word