‘怠工’ (dài gōng) literally combines ‘怠’ (dài), meaning ‘negligent’, ‘slack’, or ‘lax’, and ‘工’ (gōng), meaning ‘work’ or ‘labor’. Together, it describes the deliberate act of reducing effort or productivity at work—not quitting, but working minimally, slowly, or strictly by the book to protest conditions or express dissatisfaction. It’s often used in labor contexts, such as when employees refuse overtime, follow every rule to the letter to slow output, or perform tasks with visible apathy.

Unlike casual slacking, ‘怠工’ carries a subtle connotation of intentional, collective, or principled resistance—though it can also describe individual disengagement in informal settings. It’s more formal and critical than everyday terms like ‘偷懒’ (tōu lǎn, ‘to shirk’), and is frequently found in news reports, workplace discussions, or social commentary. The term is neutral in grammar but leans slightly negative or critical depending on context and speaker attitude.