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劳务 (láo wù) — labor services; services (as a factor of production)

Definition

劳务 means 'labor services' — the work (often manual or contracted labor) sold as a service. Distinguish from 劳动, the more general 'work/labor'; 劳务 is specifically labor as a commercial service.

noun
labor servicesservices (as a factor of production)
Measure word · 项

Examples

  • 劳务。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhuān mén tí gōng láo wù fú wù.
    This company specializes in providing labor services.
  • ，劳务。
    Suí zhe jīng jì fā zhǎn, láo wù xū qiú yuè lái yuè dà.
    With economic development, the demand for labor services is growing.
  • 劳务。
    Tā men xiàng hǎi wài shū chū láo wù.
    They export labor services overseas.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

劳láolabor
务wùservice

劳 means labor, and 务 means service or business; together they refer to services provided by work.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 勞; 劳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
𬡤
𬡤𬡤勞láo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勞 uses 力 for the meaning and 𬡤 for the sound; the simplified 劳 is a later shortened shape.

Open 劳 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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