bōxuē: 剥削 - To Exploit, Exploitation

• Keywords: bōxuē, 剥削, exploit in Chinese, exploitation in Chinese, Chinese word for exploit, Marxist terms in Chinese, class struggle China, Chinese labor rights, 996 culture, oppression in Chinese, capitalism vs socialism China.
• Summary: The Chinese word 剥削 (bōxuē) translates to “to exploit” or “exploitation.” Far more than just “using” someone, this term carries immense historical and political weight, rooted in Marxist theory and the founding principles of the People's Republic of China. It describes a systemic and unjust extraction of value, typically from laborers by those in power (e.g., capitalists). In modern China, 剥削 (bōxuē) is used to condemn severe labor abuses, unfair corporate practices like the “996” work culture, and to discuss the ongoing tensions between socialist ideals and market realities.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bōxuē
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To take unjust advantage of someone's labor or resources for one's own profit; the act of such exploitation.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 剥削 (bōxuē) not as a simple transaction, but as a deeply immoral and unfair power dynamic. The core image is one person or group systematically “stripping away” the value created by another. It's a heavy, politically-charged word almost always used with strong negative judgment. While an English speaker might say “my boss is exploiting me” to mean they're overworked, in Chinese, 剥削 evokes a more profound accusation of systemic injustice, tied to concepts of class and economic theory.

• 剥 (bō): This character means “to peel,” “to shell,” or “to strip off.” It's composed of 录 (lù) and a knife radical 刂 (dāo). Imagine using a knife to forcefully strip the skin from a fruit or an animal. It implies a raw, forceful removal of an outer layer.
• 削 (xuē): This character also means “to pare,” “to cut,” or “to scrape off.” It also contains the knife radical 刂 (dāo). Think of whittling a piece of wood or peeling a potato with a knife.
• Combined Meaning: The combination of two characters that both mean “to strip/peel with a knife” creates a vivid and powerful metaphor. 剥削 is the act of systematically scraping away a person's value, the fruits of their labor, or their resources, leaving them with little to nothing. It's a slow, deliberate, and painful process of extraction.

剥削 is one of the most important terms in the vocabulary of Chinese political thought and modern history. Its meaning is inseparable from Marxist-Leninist ideology, which formed the bedrock of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In classic Marxist theory, history is defined by 阶级斗争 (jiējí dòuzhēng), or “class struggle.” The central conflict is between the 资产阶级 (zīchǎn jiējí), the capitalist class who own the means of production, and the 无产阶级 (wúchǎn jiējí), the proletariat or working class. The core action of the capitalist class is 剥削—they exploit the workers by paying them a wage that is less than the actual value their labor creates, and they keep the “surplus value” as profit. For decades in China, 剥削 was the ultimate sin of the “old society” (旧社会, jiù shèhuì)—the pre-1949 capitalist and feudal world. Landlords exploiting peasants and factory owners exploiting workers were the classic villains in CCP narratives. Comparison to Western “Exploitation”: While “exploitation” in English can refer to the same Marxist concept, it's also used much more broadly and casually (e.g., “exploiting a loophole,” “I feel so exploited at work this week”). In Chinese, 剥削 (bōxuē) almost exclusively retains its severe, political, and economic connotation. Using it is to make a serious accusation about systemic injustice and immoral profit-seeking. It frames the issue not as a personal grievance, but as a moral failure of a system or a powerful entity.

With China's market-oriented economy, the use of 剥削 has become more complex and is a hot topic of social debate.

• Formal/Political Discourse: The term is still used in official documents, history books, and political education to refer to the Marxist concept and to criticize the perceived flaws of Western capitalism.
• Social and Labor Criticism: This is the most vibrant modern use. When news stories break about worker abuse, dangerously long hours, or employers withholding wages, net-citizens and commentators will quickly label the behavior as 剥削. The controversial “996” work culture (working 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week) is frequently condemned as a modern form of 剥削.
• Hyperbolic/Joking Usage: In very informal settings, among close friends, someone might jokingly complain, “我的老板太剥削我了！” (My boss is exploiting me so much!), but the underlying seriousness of the word makes this usage ironic. It's not a truly casual term.

• Example 1:
  • 资本家通过剥削工人的剩余价值来积累财富。
  • Pinyin: Zīběnjiā tōngguò bōxuē gōngrén de shèngyú jiàzhí lái jīlěi cáifù.
  • English: Capitalists accumulate wealth by exploiting the surplus value of workers.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, textbook sentence explaining the Marxist definition of exploitation. It's formal and academic.
• Example 2:
  • 这种“996”工作制是对员工赤裸裸的剥削。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng “jiǔjiǔliù” gōngzuòzhì shì duì yuángōng chìluǒluǒ de bōxuē.
  • English: This “996” work system is a naked exploitation of employees.
  • Analysis: A very common modern usage. “赤裸裸的 (chìluǒluǒ de)” means “naked” or “blatant,” intensifying the criticism. Here, 剥削 is used as a noun.
• Example 3:
  • 我们要团结起来，反抗剥削和压迫。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yào tuánjié qǐlái, fǎnkàng bōxuē hé yāpò.
  • English: We must unite to resist exploitation and oppression.
  • Analysis: A classic protest slogan. It pairs 剥削 (bōxuē) with its common companion, 压迫 (yāpò), “oppression.”
• Example 4:
  • 他觉得公司给的薪水太低，感觉自己被剥削了。
  • Pinyin: Tā juéde gōngsī gěi de xīnshuǐ tài dī, gǎnjué zìjǐ bèi bōxuē le.
  • English: He feels the salary the company gives is too low and feels that he has been exploited.
  • Analysis: This shows a personal feeling, but the word choice is still very strong. It implies the low salary is not just a bad deal, but fundamentally unjust.
• Example 5:
  • 在旧社会，农民受到地主的严重剥削。
  • Pinyin: Zài jiù shèhuì, nóngmín shòudào dìzhǔ de yánzhòng bōxuē.
  • English: In the old society, peasants suffered severe exploitation from landlords.
  • Analysis: A standard historical statement you would find in a Chinese history textbook, referring to the pre-Communist era.
• Example 6:
  • 许多年轻艺术家抱怨他们的创意被大公司无情地剥削。
  • Pinyin: Xǔduō niánqīng yìshùjiā bàoyuàn tāmen de chuàngyì bèi dà gōngsī wúqíng de bōxuē.
  • English: Many young artists complain that their creativity is ruthlessly exploited by large corporations.
  • Analysis: This extends the concept beyond just manual labor to intellectual or creative labor. “无情地 (wúqíng de)” means “ruthlessly” or “heartlessly.”
• Example 7:
  • 法律禁止任何形式的劳动剥削。
  • Pinyin: Fǎlǜ jìnzhǐ rènhé xíngshì de láodòng bōxuē.
  • English: The law prohibits any form of labor exploitation.
  • Analysis: A formal, legalistic sentence. Here, 剥削 is used as a precise legal and ethical concept.
• Example 8:
  • 剥削的本质是占有他人无偿的劳动。
  • Pinyin: Bōxuē de běnzhì shì zhànyǒu tārén wúcháng de láodòng.
  • English: The essence of exploitation is the possession of others' unpaid labor.
  • Analysis: A sentence defining the term's core concept. 本质 (běnzhì) means “essence” or “nature.”
• Example 9:
  • 他辞职了，因为他再也无法忍受老板的剥削。
  • Pinyin: Tā cízhí le, yīnwèi tā zài yě wúfǎ rěnshòu lǎobǎn de bōxuē.
  • English: He quit, because he could no longer endure his boss's exploitation.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a clear consequence of feeling exploited. The use of 无法忍受 (wúfǎ rěnshòu), “unable to endure,” matches the severity of 剥削.
• Example 10:
  • 别再让我请客了，你这个资本家，不要剥削我！
  • Pinyin: Bié zài ràng wǒ qǐngkè le, nǐ zhège zīběnjiā, búyào bōxuē wǒ!
  • English: Stop making me treat you, you capitalist, don't exploit me!
  • Analysis: An example of the rare, hyperbolic use among good friends. The speaker is jokingly calling their friend a “capitalist” (资本家) and accusing them of “exploitation” for always making them pay. The tone would be clearly playful.

• “Exploit” vs. “Utilize”: The most common mistake for English speakers is to confuse 剥削 (bōxuē) with the more neutral English word “utilize” or “make use of.” 剥削 is never neutral. It is a word of condemnation. For a neutral meaning, you should use 利用 (lìyòng).
  • Incorrect: 我剥削了这个机会来练习中文。(Wǒ bōxuē le zhège jīhuì lái liànxí Zhōngwén.)
  • This sounds very strange, as if you are immorally stripping value from an opportunity.
  • Correct: 我利用了这个机会来练习中文。(Wǒ lìyòng le zhège jīhuì lái liànxí Zhōngwén.)
  • English: I used/utilized this opportunity to practice Chinese.
• Don't Underestimate its Strength: Using 剥削 in a minor disagreement about workload or favors can make you sound overly dramatic and accusatory. It implies a serious moral and power imbalance. Unless you intend to make a very strong statement rooted in the idea of fairness and class, it's often too powerful a word for everyday grievances.

• 压迫 (yāpò) - Oppression. Often used together with 剥削 as in “exploitation and oppression” (剥削和压迫).
• 利用 (lìyòng) - To utilize, to make use of. The more neutral term that is often a better translation for “exploit” in non-Marxist contexts (e.g., “exploit an opportunity”).
• 阶级斗争 (jiējí dòuzhēng) - Class Struggle. The theoretical Marxist framework in which 剥削 is the central action.
• 资本家 (zīběnjiā) - Capitalist. In theory, the person or class that engages in 剥削.
• 无产阶级 (wúchǎn jiējí) - Proletariat; the working class. The class that is the victim of 剥削.
• 剩余价值 (shèngyú jiàzhí) - Surplus Value. The specific economic value that is extracted from workers in the process of 剥削.
• 血汗钱 (xuèhànqián) - “Blood-and-sweat money.” Money earned through extremely hard labor, often under conditions of 剥削.
• 996 (jiǔjiǔliù) - 996 Working Hour System. A modern phenomenon in some Chinese tech companies that is widely criticized as a form of 剥削.