劳役 (láo yì) — forced labor (as punishment, penal servitude)

Definition

noun

forced labor (as punishment, penal servitude)

Measure word · 种

劳役。
Tā bèi pàn chǔ shí nián láo yì.
He was sentenced to ten years of penal servitude.
劳役。
Gǔ dài hěn duō fàn rén bèi fá qù zuò láo yì.
In ancient times, many criminals were punished with forced labor.
劳役。
Zhè zhǒng láo yì zhì dù fēi cháng cán kù.
This system of forced labor is extremely cruel.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

役yìservice

劳 and 役 both refer to work or service, together giving forced labor.

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

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.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

彳殳役

役 pairs 彳 (movement) with 殳 (a weapon like a spear) to show someone moving with a weapon to guard a border, giving the idea of a duty or task.

Appears in