The term **compradore** (also spelled **comprador**) originates from the Portuguese word "comprador," meaning "buyer." Historically, it referred to a local intermediary or agent who facilitated trade between foreign merchants and the domestic market, particularly in East Asia during the colonial era. In the context of **19th and early 20th-century China**, compradores played a significant role in bridging the gap between Western traders and Chinese markets. They acted as middlemen, handling negotiations, translations, and logistics, and often wielded considerable economic and social influence. However, the term has also taken on a critical connotation in Marxist and anti-imperialist discourse, where it is used to describe a class of local elites who collaborate with foreign powers or capitalists to exploit their own country's resources and labor, often at the expense of national development. In modern usage, "compradore" can be a pejorative term, implying betrayal of national or communal interests for personal gain or alignment with external forces. `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`