← Back to Fala2Me

manual labor

[ˈmæn.ju.əl ˈleɪ.bɚ]
noun
trabalho manual
1. Physical work done by hand, typically requiring strength rather than skill or training
He spent years doing manual labor in construction.
Ele passou anos fazendo trabalho manual na construção.
2. Unskilled or semi-skilled labor performed without the use of machines or technology
Manual labor was essential for building the ancient pyramids.
O trabalho manual foi essencial para construir as pirâmides antigas.
Synonyms
physical workhandworklabortoilhand workblue-collar work
Antonyms
intellectual workmental laborwhite-collar workclerical workadministrative work

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
trabalho manual
Standard and widely used term
São Paulo
trabalho braçal
Alternative colloquial expression, particularly in industrial contexts
Portugal
trabalho manual
Standard term; 'trabalho braçal' also used

Related Idioms & Phrases

break one's back doing manual labor
get one's hands dirty
nose to the grindstone
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →