Definition

1. Noun:
   • Means of labor: The collective term for all the physical objects and infrastructure that a worker uses to act upon and transform the subject of labor (raw materials) to create a product. This includes tools, machinery, buildings, land, roads, and transportation systems.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Máy móc hiện đại là tư liệu lao động quan trọng trong sản xuất. (Modern machinery is an important means of labor in production.)
  • Nhà xưởng, đường xá và kho bãi đều được xem là tư liệu lao động. (Factories, roads, and warehouses are all considered means of labor.)
  • Cải tiến tư liệu lao động giúp nâng cao năng suất. (Improving the means of labor helps increase productivity.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily used in economic, political, and sociological contexts, particularly when discussing Marxist theory or the factors of production. It is a more specialized term than general words for "tools" or "equipment."
• It is often contrasted with "đối tượng lao động" (subject of labor), which refers to the raw materials being worked upon.

Variants and Related Words

• Công cụ lao động (n): Tools of labor. A core subset of the means of labor, referring specifically to the implements (hammers, computers, machines) directly used to transform materials.
• Tư liệu sản xuất (n): Means of production. A broader, closely related term that encompasses both the tư liệu lao động (means of labor) and the đối tượng lao động (subject of labor).

Synonyms

• Means of labor (direct conceptual equivalent).
• Instruments of labor.
• Capital goods (in an economic context, though this is a broader market-oriented term).

Related Concepts

• Đối tượng lao động (n): Subject of labor. The raw materials or inputs upon which labor is performed using the means of labor (e.g., wood, cotton, iron ore).
• Sức lao động (n): Labor power. The human capacity to work.
• Lực lượng sản xuất (n): Productive forces. The combination of human labor power (sức lao động) and the means of production (tư liệu sản xuất).