Brick Moving(搬砖):

In Chinese, it is pronounced as: bān zhuān，Written as:

“Brick moving” is a Chinese term that originally referred to the literal act of moving bricks. On the internet, it has come to describe jobs that are physically demanding, repetitive, and low-paying. This term originated from Baidu Tieba, a popular Chinese online forum.

Initially, “brick moving” simply meant transporting bricks. In some regional dialects, it also refers to playing Mahjong. In the context of commerce and trade, it can mean making a profit from buying low and selling high, or metaphorically, moving money.

In modern society, “brick moving” can refer to various types of manual labor, such as factory assembly line workers, delivery personnel, cleaners, and construction workers. These jobs typically involve repetitive physical labor, long working hours, and relatively low income. Thus, the term often carries a pejorative connotation, suggesting a low-end, low-income job.

However, “brick moving” can also be seen as a representation of diligence and hard work, as these jobs require significant physical effort and endurance. Additionally, some people view “brick moving” as a starting point, using it as a stepping stone to gain experience and eventually progress to higher-level careers.

The term “brick moving” has different meanings in various contexts:

1. In online gaming, players refer to the extensive time and effort spent earning in-game currency, which is then used to purchase various items for entertainment.
2. For those involved in scientific fields like chemistry and biology, where experimental processes can be tedious and monotonous, “brick moving” is humorously used to describe conducting experiments.
3. In the game “Dungeon Fighter Online,” the term takes on a specific meaning where “bricks” refer to “Demon Invitations,” a valuable item needed to access the “Anton Raid.” Players often farm these items at the Grandine Power Plant to sell them for a high price.
4. Broadly, it refers to the monotonous coding tasks of programmers, akin to the repetitive nature of moving bricks, often used self-deprecatingly within the programming community.
5. In online chats, when individuals prefer not to disclose their occupation, they might say they are “going to move bricks,” indicating they are going to work and will be unavailable to chat.
6. On Baidu Tieba, “moving bricks” can also mean reposting content.