资产阶级
How to Understand
资产阶级 refers to the bourgeoisie, a social class that owns the means of production and derives income from the exploitation of wage labor. It is a key term in Marxist theory, distinguishing it from the proletariat, who sell their labor for wages.
The character 资 (zī) means 'resources' or 'capital,' 产 (chǎn) means 'production' or 'property,' 阶 (jiē) means 'class' or 'level,' and 级 (jí) means 'rank' or 'grade.' Together, they form a term that describes a class based on ownership of capital and property.
In modern Chinese political discourse, 资产阶级 is often used in discussions about economic inequality and class struggle. It is commonly encountered in historical and sociopolitical contexts, especially in educational materials and academic texts.