奴隷

• Reading: どれい
• Romaji: dorei
• Kanji breakdown: 奴 (do) — servant, fellow (derogatory); 隷 (rei) — slave, serf, subordinate
• Pronunciation: /doɾeː/

Meaning

Slave; person in slavery; one subjected to servitude. Also used figuratively for extreme subjugation.

A compound with a long history in East Asian texts. 奴隷 describes the institution of chattel slavery as well as metaphorical subjugation (e.g., 労働の奴隷 — slave to work). In contemporary Japanese, it appears in historical, political, and social criticism contexts. The compound 奴隷制度 refers to the institution of slavery, discussed in the context of global history and modern trafficking (現代奴隷制).

Examples

1. 古代ローマ社会の経済は奴隷労働に依存していた。 The economy of ancient Roman society was dependent on slave labour.
2. 現代奴隷制とも言える強制労働の問題が国際社会で深刻視されている。 The problem of forced labour, which can be called a form of modern slavery, is being taken seriously by the international community.
3. 長時間労働を強いられる社員を会社の奴隷と呼ぶ声もある。 There are those who describe employees forced to work long hours as slaves of the company.

Usage Guide

Context: history, human rights, social criticism, labour

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 奴 (do/yatsu) — servant, fellow (a derogatory term for persons), and 隷 (rei) — slave, serf. Both characters have negative connotations of subordination. Used in classical Chinese texts and adopted early into Japanese to describe servile status.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: General