physical labor; manual labor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
physical labor; manual labor; productive work relying mainly on physical strength
Often contrasted with 脑力劳动 (mental labor). Commonly used in economics, sociology, labor law, and education contexts to describe work requiring bodily exertion rather than cognitive effort.
Jiàn建
zhù筑
gōng工
rén人
cóng从
shì事
de的
shì是
fán繁
zhòng重
de的
tǐ体
lì力
láo劳
dòng动
。
Construction workers engage in heavy physical labor.
Yǔ与
nǎo脑
lì力
láo劳
dòng动
xiāng相
bǐ比
，
tǐ体
lì力
láo劳
dòng动
gèng更
róng容
yì易
zào造
chéng成
shēn身
tǐ体
pí疲
láo劳
。
Compared to mental labor, physical labor is more likely to cause bodily fatigue.
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Suí随
zhe着
zì自
dòng动
huà化
jì技
shù术
de的
fā发
zhǎn展
，
xǔ许
duō多
tǐ体
lì力
láo劳
dòng动
yǐ已
jīng经
bèi被
jī机
qì器
qǔ取
dài代
。
With the development of automation technology, much physical labor has already been replaced by machines.
Tā他
cóng从
xiǎo小
gàn干
guàn惯
le了
tǐ体
lì力
láo劳
dòng动
，
suǒ所
yǐ以
shēn身
tǐ体
tè特
bié别
jiē结
shi实
。
He has been accustomed to physical labor since childhood, so his body is particularly strong.