牛马
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.
Origin Story
牛马 emerged in 2023-2024 as an even bleaker successor to 打工人 (wage worker) and 社畜 (corporate livestock). While 打工人 carries a note of defiant pride and 社畜 implies white-collar office drudgery, 牛马 strips away all pretense: you are not a 'worker' with agency, not even 'livestock' with value — you are a beast of burden whose sole purpose is to be worked until you drop. The term gained traction on Xiaohongshu and Weibo through posts contrasting glamorous job descriptions with the reality of exhausting, exploitative work conditions. A viral format showed office workers captioning photos of their overtime nights with simply '牛马下班了' (the workhorse is off duty).
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. The term originated and spread primarily on Zhihu.
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。