无产阶级 (wú chǎn jiē jí) — the proletariat (working class in Marxist theory)

Definition

noun
the proletariat (working class in Marxist theory)

Examples

  • ，无产阶级。
    Lì shǐ shàng, wú chǎn jiē jí lǐng dǎo gōng rén jìn xíng le gé mìng.
    In history, the proletariat led the workers to carry out revolution.
  • 无产阶级。
    Zhè běn shū fēn xī le wú chǎn jiē jí de jīng jì dì wèi.
    This book analyzes the economic status of the proletariat.
  • 无产阶级。
    wú chǎn jiē jí Hé zī běn jiā de máo dùn shì gēn běn de.
    The contradiction between the proletariat and the capitalists is fundamental.

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.

无产without property
无wúwithout产chǎnproperty
动宾Verb + object
阶级class
阶jiērank级jígrade
联合Side by side

无产 means without property, and 阶级 names a social class.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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 產; 产 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
生生shēngto be born
Sound part声符shēngfú
彥
彥yàn產chǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 產 pairs 生, "to be born," with 彥 as a sound part; the simplified 产 is a shorthand.

Open 产 →

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 階; 阶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
皆
皆jiē階jiē
Same sound today

The traditional form 階 uses 阝 (written in full as 阜) to relate to its meaning and 皆 to show its sound; the simplified 阶 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 阶 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →

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