zīběnjiā: 资本家 - Capitalist

• Keywords: 资本家, zibenjia, Chinese for capitalist, capitalist in China, what is zibenjia, ziben, Marx in China, Chinese business terms, entrepreneur in China, businessman in Chinese, bourgeoisie
• Summary: “资本家” (zīběnjiā) is the direct Chinese translation for “capitalist.” However, its meaning is deeply colored by Marxist ideology and China's political history. While it can be a neutral economic term, it more often carries a strong negative connotation of an exploitative, greedy owner of capital. Understanding “资本家” is key to grasping modern Chinese discussions about wealth, labor, and the country's unique “socialist market economy,” and why the term “entrepreneur” (企业家) is often preferred.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zīběnjiā
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: A person who owns capital and uses it for investment and production; a capitalist.
• In a Nutshell: Think of “capitalist,” but with heavy political and historical baggage. In the West, “capitalist” can be a neutral or even positive term. In China, `资本家` is rooted in communist theory and often implies a person who gets rich by exploiting workers. While China's economy is now market-driven, this word retains its critical, and often accusatory, tone from the Mao era.

• 资 (zī): This character means resources, assets, or capital. Think of it as the money and materials needed to start something.
• 本 (běn): This character means root, origin, or principal (as in a sum of money). It represents the foundational investment or source of wealth.
• 家 (jiā): This character means family or home, but when added to a noun, it can mean a specialist or a person associated with that field (like 科学家, kēxuéjiā - scientist). Here, it designates a person defined by their relationship to capital.

The characters literally combine to mean “capital-person,” a person whose identity and power come from owning capital (`资本`, zīběn).

The term `资本家` is impossible to separate from the official ideology of the Communist Party of China (CPC). In orthodox Marxist-Leninist thought, history is a story of class struggle between the bourgeoisie (资产阶级, zīchǎn jiējí), which includes the `资本家`, and the proletariat (无产阶级, wúchǎn jiējí), or the working class. The `资本家` is the villain in this narrative—the one who owns the factories and resources, and profits from the “surplus value” created by workers. This contrasts sharply with the Western concept of a “capitalist” or “entrepreneur.” In the United States, for example, figures like Henry Ford or Steve Jobs are often celebrated as innovators, visionaries, and job creators. The term “capitalist” can be a neutral descriptor of one's role in the economy or even a badge of honor signifying success and ambition. In China, especially during the Mao era (1949-1976), being labeled a `资本家` was a political death sentence, leading to public humiliation, seizure of property, and persecution. Although China's economic reforms have created a class of billionaires, the official ideology hasn't fully reconciled this reality. Therefore, successful business leaders are almost always referred to with the more positive and modern term 企业家 (qǐyèjiā - entrepreneur), which emphasizes innovation and leadership, rather than the politically toxic `资本家`, which emphasizes exploitation.

In today's China, `资本家` is rarely a term of self-identification. Its usage is almost always by others and is heavily context-dependent.

• As a Pejorative/Criticism: This is the most common usage. It's used to criticize greedy bosses, landlords, or large corporations. If someone complains their boss is making them work “996” (9am to 9pm, 6 days a week), they might say, “My boss is a true `资本家`.” It's a way to frame a personal grievance within a larger narrative of class exploitation.
• On Social Media and in Youth Culture: Young people often use `资本家` with a mix of genuine frustration and dark humor. Phrases like “资本家 in tears when they see this trick to slack off at work” or ironic calls to “hang the capitalists” (a reference to revolutionary slogans) are common online when discussing high pressure work environments and wealth inequality.
• In Formal/Academic Contexts: In academic papers on economics or history, `资本家` might be used in its original, neutral, technical sense to refer to the owner of capital in a capitalist system. However, this is rare in everyday conversation.

• Example 1:
  • 他剥削员工，真是个无情的资本家。
  • Pinyin: Tā bōxuē yuángōng, zhēnshì ge wúqíng de zīběnjiā.
  • English: He exploits his employees, he's truly a ruthless capitalist.
  • Analysis: This is the classic, most common usage. The word `剥削` (bōxuē - to exploit) is often paired with `资本家` to give it a strong, negative moral judgment.
• Example 2:
  • 在网上，很多年轻人用“资本家”这个词来抱怨工作太辛苦。
  • Pinyin: Zài wǎngshàng, hěnduō niánqīngrén yòng “zīběnjiā” zhège cí lái bàoyuàn gōngzuò tài xīnkǔ.
  • English: On the internet, many young people use the word “capitalist” to complain that work is too hard.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the modern, informal usage of the term as a popular label for any perceived source of work-related pressure.
• Example 3:
  • 马克思理论深刻地批判了资本家和资本主义制度。
  • Pinyin: Mǎkèsī lǐlùn shēnkè de pīpànle zīběnjiā hé zīběnzhǔyì zhìdù.
  • English: Marxist theory profoundly critiques capitalists and the capitalist system.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used in its original political and historical context. Here, it refers to a concept from a specific ideology.
• Example 4:
  • 他宁愿被称为“企业家”，也不愿被称为“资本家”。
  • Pinyin: Tā nìngyuàn bèi chēngwéi “qǐyèjiā”, yě búyuàn bèi chēngwéi “zīběnjiā”.
  • English: He would rather be called an “entrepreneur” than a “capitalist”.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the cultural nuance. `企业家` (qǐyèjiā) is positive, while `资本家` is negative or politically sensitive.
• Example 5:
  • 房东又涨房租了，简直是资本家的嘴脸！
  • Pinyin: Fángdōng yòu zhǎng fángzū le, jiǎnzhí shì zīběnjiā de zuǐliǎn!
  • English: The landlord raised the rent again, that's the face of a capitalist!
  • Analysis: Here, the term is applied colloquially to anyone perceived as putting profit above people's well-being, even on a small scale like a landlord.
• Example 6:
  • 随着经济改革，中国出现了一批新的资本家，尽管官方不这么称呼他们。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe jīngjì gǎigé, Zhōngguó chūxiànle yī pī xīn de zīběnjiā, jǐnguǎn guānfāng bù zhème chēnghu tāmen.
  • English: Following the economic reforms, a new group of capitalists emerged in China, although they aren't officially called that.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides a more analytical or journalistic perspective on the economic reality versus the political language in China.
• Example 7:
  • 别傻了，你只是个打工人，怎么斗得过资本家？
  • Pinyin: Bié shǎ le, nǐ zhǐshì ge dǎgōngrén, zěnme dòu de guò zīběnjiā?
  • English: Don't be silly, you're just a worker, how can you fight against the capitalists?
  • Analysis: This reflects a common cynical or self-deprecating attitude found online, contrasting the powerless “打工人” (dǎgōngrén - worker/wage slave) with the powerful `资本家`.
• Example 8:
  • 从历史角度看，资本家在推动工业化方面起到了重要作用。
  • Pinyin: Cóng lìshǐ jiǎodù kàn, zīběnjiā zài tuīdòng gōngyèhuà fāngmiàn qǐdàole zhòngyào zuòyòng.
  • English: From a historical perspective, capitalists played an important role in promoting industrialization.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the rare, neutral academic usage, where the term is used to analyze a historical-economic function without the immediate negative connotation.
• Example 9:
  • 我们公司的老板关心员工福利，一点都不像个资本家。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de lǎobǎn guānxīn yuángōng fúlì, yīdiǎn dōu bú xiàng ge zīběnjiā.
  • English: Our company's boss cares about employee welfare; he's not like a capitalist at all.
  • Analysis: This shows that the default expectation for a `资本家` is someone who *doesn't* care about employee welfare. The sentence works by negating this stereotype.
• Example 10:
  • 每次大公司裁员，网上都是一片骂资本家的声音。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì dà gōngsī cáiyuán, wǎngshàng dōu shì yī piàn mà zīběnjiā de shēngyīn.
  • English: Every time a big company has layoffs, the internet is filled with voices cursing the capitalists.
  • Analysis: This highlights how `资本家` is used as a collective scapegoat for systemic economic issues like layoffs.

• False Friend: “Capitalist” vs. `资本家`

The biggest mistake an English speaker can make is to use `资本家` in a positive or aspirational context, as one might use “capitalist” or “entrepreneur” in English.

• Incorrect: 我想成为一个伟大的资本家。(Wǒ xiǎng chéngwéi yí ge wěidà de zīběnjiā.) - “I want to become a great capitalist.”
• Why it's wrong: This sounds tone-deaf and politically naive. It's like saying, “I want to become a great exploiter.”
• Correct: 我想成为一个成功的企业家。(Wǒ xiǎng chéngwéi yí ge chénggōng de qǐyèjiā.) - “I want to become a successful entrepreneur.”
• Don't Use It For Any Business Owner

While your local convenience store owner is technically a “capitalist,” calling them a `资本家` would be strange and overly dramatic. The term is usually reserved for the owners of larger enterprises, or used hyperbolically to criticize someone's behavior. For a small business owner, you would simply use 老板 (lǎobǎn - boss) or 商人 (shāngrén - businessperson).

• 企业家 (qǐyèjiā) - “Entrepreneur.” The modern, positive, and officially sanctioned term for a successful business leader. This is the word to use when `资本家` is too negative.
• 资本 (zīběn) - “Capital.” The root word of `资本家`, referring to financial assets and the means of production.
• 资产阶级 (zīchǎn jiējí) - “Bourgeoisie” or “the capitalist class.” A more formal, systemic, and political term used in Marxist analysis.
• 无产阶级 (wúchǎn jiējí) - “Proletariat” or “the working class.” The ideological opposite of the `资产阶级`.
• 老板 (lǎobǎn) - “Boss.” The common, everyday word for an employer or owner of a business, big or small. It's far more neutral than `资本家`.
• 剥削 (bōxuē) - “To exploit.” A verb heavily associated with the actions of a `资本家` in communist theory.
• 996 (jiǔjiǔliù) - The “9am to 9pm, 6 days a week” work culture often attributed to the demands of modern `资本家`.
• 打工人 (dǎgōngrén) - A popular internet slang term for “worker” or “wage earner,” often used with a sense of self-deprecation and solidarity.