The manufacturing purchasing managers' index -- a key measure of factory output -- dipped to 49.4, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
The figure was slightly down from October and also weaker than the 49.8 forecast in a survey by Bloomberg.
China began dismantling its draconian zero-Covid restrictions in December 2022 after almost three years, which allowed the economy to rebound.
But that recovery has been hampered by weak consumer and business confidence, a persistent housing crisis, record youth unemployment and a global slowdown which is weighing on demand for Chinese goods.
After a tough year for the world's number-two economy, there have been flickers of life in recent weeks, with third-quarter growth coming in more than expected at 4.9 percent.
But Beijing still faces an uphill battle to achieve its stated annual target of around five percent.
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