yáo

徭

Character · NounTraditional傜

corvée labor; forced labor; statute labor

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

noun

corvée labor; forced labor; statute labor

archaic

Literary and archaic term referring to compulsory unpaid labor imposed on commoners in ancient China, often for public works or military service. Variant form of 徭.

Gǔ古
dài代
bǎi百
xìng姓
kǔ苦
yú于
yáo傜
yì役
fán繁
zhòng重
 。

In ancient times, the common people suffered from the heavy burden of corvée labor.

Zhè这
zhǒng种
yáo傜
yì役
zhì制
dù度
zǎo早
yǐ已
fèi废
chú除
 。

This system of forced labor was abolished long ago.

Show 1 more example
Yáo傜
fù赋
chén沉
zhòng重
 ,
mín民
bù不
liáo聊
shēng生
 。

The corvée and taxes were heavy, and the people could not survive.