When combined, 特 (tè) + 权 (quán) → 特权 (tèquán) literally translates to “special power” or “special rights.” This perfectly captures the idea of a privilege that sets someone apart from and above the general rules that apply to everyone else.
`特权` is a hot-button topic in Chinese society, deeply connected to a long history of social hierarchy and the modern struggle for fairness and equality. In imperial China, scholars, officials, and nobility legally held `特权`. Today, the concept persists but is officially condemned. The tension between the official socialist ideal of equality and the reality of a society with vast wealth and power gaps makes `特权` a frequent subject of online discussion, news reports, and everyday grumbling. Comparison to Western “Privilege”: In the West, particularly in the US, “privilege” (e.g., “white privilege,” “male privilege”) often refers to unearned systemic advantages that can be invisible to those who have them. The discussion is often academic and focuses on societal structures. In China, `特权` is usually more concrete, visible, and tied to an individual's direct abuse of power or status. It's not about an invisible system; it's about a specific person using their 关系 (guānxi) or wealth to get their child into a top university, or an official's car driving in a restricted lane. The feeling is less about a societal system and more about a personal, unfair act. Therefore, `特权` is almost always used as a criticism and rarely as a term for self-reflection. This concept is the antithesis of the ideal life for the 老百姓 (lǎobǎixìng), the “common people,” who must follow the rules and often feel the negative effects of others' `特权`.
`特权` has a strong and overwhelmingly negative connotation. People use it to call out injustice and unfairness. It's a word of accusation, not of pride.