牛马 — Ox and Horse / Beast of Burden Worker
What Does 牛马 Mean?
Literally 'ox and horse' — the draft animals that pull plows and carts. A darker, more bitter evolution of 打工人 (worker). Where 打工人 has a note of ironic dignity, 牛马 strips that away entirely: you are livestock, valued only for the labor extracted from you. '资本家的牛马' (the capitalist's ox and horse) became a common self-description among Chinese workers in 2024, expressing a more radical disillusionment with work than earlier terms.
Cultural Context
The shift from 打工人 (2020) to 牛马 (2024) tracks a darkening mood. 打工人 still allowed for self-respect through irony; 牛马 abandons it. The term reflects deepening pessimism about labor conditions, the job market, and economic mobility. Calling yourself 牛马 isn't just complaining about work — it's denying that your work confers any human dignity at all.
Similar Expressions in English
Like 'wage slave,' 'cog in the machine,' or 'beast of burden' — but more visceral. The livestock comparison is more dehumanizing than English equivalents, which is precisely the point the speaker is making.
How Is It Used?
Chinese Explanation (中文解释)
牛和马，比喻像牲口一样被驱使劳作的打工人，比打工人更强烈的自嘲，强调被剥削、无尊严的处境。