Laogai
/ˈlaʊ.ɡaɪ/noun
A system of forced-labor detention camps in the People’s Republic of China, especially associated with the Mao era.
Did you know?The term is an abbreviation of 劳动改造, and laogai camps became internationally known for combining imprisonment, ideological reeducation, and compulsory labor.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
勞
“Labor, toil, or exertion; the source of modern Mandarin láo.”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
改
“To change, alter, or reform; the source of modern Mandarin gǎi.”
1950s
Mandarin
劳动改造
““Reform through labor,” the official term for a penal system involving forced labor and ideological transformation.”
20th Century
Mandarin
劳改
“An abbreviation of 劳动改造, pronounced láogǎi and used for the camp system and its prisoners.”
Late 20th Century
English
laogai
“An English loanword referring specifically to China’s forced-labor prison-camp system.”
Modern English
English
Laogai
“A historical and political term for the Chinese system of detention, forced labor, and reeducation.”