menial worker; hired hand
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
menial worker; hired hand (in old times)
archaicRefers to manual laborers or servants employed by government offices, schools, or wealthy households in pre-modern China. The term carries historical connotations of social hierarchy and is rarely used in contemporary contexts.
Nà那
shí时
，
tā他
zài在
yá衙
men门
lǐ里
dāng当
gōng工
yì役
。
At that time, he worked as a menial worker in the yamen.
Zhè这
zuò座
lǎo老
zhái宅
yǐ以
qián前
gù雇
le了
hǎo好
jǐ几
gè个
gōng工
yì役
。
This old mansion used to employ several hired hands.
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Jiù旧
shè社
huì会
，
gōng工
yì役
de的
dì地
wèi位
hěn很
dī低
。
In the old society, menial workers had very low social status.
Tā他
zài在
xué学
xiào校
dāng当
gōng工
yì役
，
fù负
zé责
dǎ打
sǎo扫
hé和
wéi维
xiū修
。
He worked as a handyman at the school, responsible for cleaning and maintenance.