Definition
劳改 is a noun shortened from 劳动改造, meaning 'reform through labor.' It refers to a penal sentence that combines hard labor with political re-education, historically a key legal punishment in China. The term carries heavy political and historical context — you'll encounter it in legal, historical, and social discussions about China's criminal justice system.
n.
reform through labor (a penal sentence involving forced labor and re-education)
Examples
- 劳改。Tā yīnwèi dàoqiè bèi pànchǔ wǔ nián láo gǎi.He was sentenced to five years of reform through labor for theft.
- 劳改2090。láo gǎi zhìdù zài èrshí shìjì jiǔshí niándài hòu bèi zhúbù fèichú.The reform-through-labor system was gradually abolished after the 1990s.
- ，劳改。Xíng mǎn shìfàng hòu, tā zài yě bú yuàn tíqǐ nà jǐ nián de láo gǎi jīnglì.After his release, he never again wanted to mention those years of reform-through-labor experience.
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