Used as a noun (usually "the working class") or as an adjective ("a working-class family"), this names the part of society whose people earn money by doing physical work with their hands or bodies, and who usually do not have much money, property, or power. Think of factory workers, drivers, cleaners, builders, shop staff.

Used as a noun當名詞用 (usually通常是 “the working class”) or as an adjective或當形容詞 (“a working-class family”「勞工階級的家庭」)， this這個詞 names指的是 society社會 the part of裡的那一塊人： whose people他們 by doing physical work靠體力活、 with their hands or bodies用手和身體 earn money賺錢， and who usually而且通常 do not have much沒有太多 money錢、 property財產 or power或權力。 Think of想想 factory workers工廠工人、 drivers司機、 cleaners清潔人員、 builders建築工、 shop staff店員。

The picture behind the word is an old British one: society split into the working class at the bottom, the middle class in the middle (office jobs, teachers, doctors), and the upper class at the top (old rich families). When British people say it, they often mean much more than money — they mean the way you speak, the school you went to, the food you eat, the friends your parents had. A rich footballer from a poor town may still call himself working-class, and nobody thinks that is strange.

the word behind這個詞背後的 The picture畫面 is an old British one是英國的老圖像： society社會 split into分成 at the bottom底層的 the working class勞工階級、 in the middle中間的 the middle class中產階級 (office jobs辦公室工作、 teachers老師、 doctors醫生)， and at the top和頂端的 the upper class上層階級 (old rich families老牌有錢人家)。 When British people say it英國人說這個詞的時候， they often mean他們指的常常 much more than money遠不只是錢—— they mean他們指的是 the way you speak你說話的方式、 the school you went to你唸過的學校、 the food you eat你吃的東西、 the friends your parents had你父母交的朋友。 from a poor town來自窮鎮的 A rich footballer有錢足球員 may still call himself仍然可能自稱 working-class， and nobody thinks that is strange也沒有人覺得奇怪。

Americans use the word too, but they mean it more simply: people who work hard for not much pay. Many Americans who would count as working-class prefer to say "middle class" about themselves, because "working class" can sound like a sad word there. In Britain it is often said with pride: "proud working-class roots." But be careful — in the mouth of a snob, "very working-class" can be an insult about someone's taste.

Americans美國人 too也 use the word用這個詞， but they mean it但他們的意思 more simply比較單純： who work hard努力工作、 for not much pay薪水卻不多的 people人。 who would count as working-class算得上勞工階級的 Many Americans許多美國人， about themselves講到自己時 prefer to say寧可說 “middle class”， because因為 there在那裡 “working class” can sound like聽起來可能像 a sad word一個令人難過的詞。 In Britain在英國 it它 often常常 with pride是帶著驕傲 said說出來的： “proud working-class roots.”「以勞工階級出身為榮」。 But be careful但要小心—— in the mouth of a snob從勢利眼的嘴裡說出來， “very working-class” can be可以是 about someone's taste對人品味的 an insult羞辱。

The word is also going soft at the edges. The old picture assumed factories and coal mines; today a lot of low-paid work is in shops, call centres, and delivery, and writers argue about whether those people are working-class or something new. Politicians love the phrase "ordinary working people" because it sounds warm and avoids the argument.

The word這個詞 also也 at the edges在邊緣 is going soft慢慢變得模糊。 The old picture舊的圖像 assumed預設的是 factories and coal mines工廠和煤礦； today今天 a lot of low-paid work很多低薪工作 is in在 shops商店、 call centres客服中心 and delivery和外送， and writers而寫文章的人 argue about還在爭論 those people那些人 whether are working-class到底算勞工階級 or something new還是某種新的東西。 Politicians政治人物 love愛用 the phrase這個說法 “ordinary working people”「一般勞動大眾」， because因為 it sounds warm它聽起來溫暖， and avoids the argument又避開了那場爭論。

Note that "working-class" does not simply mean "a person who works" — a lawyer works fifty hours a week and is not working-class.

Note that要注意 “working-class” does not simply mean並不是單純指 “a person who works”「有在工作的人」—— a lawyer律師 works fifty hours a week一週工作五十小時， and is not也不是 working-class勞工階級。