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老 lǎo — old, aged (of people and animals)

lǎo (third tone, dipping)lao3

old, aged (of people and animals)

HSK 3· HSK 1–6 (classic)Level 1· 2021 three-band, nine-level proficiency standardadjectiveadverb
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Meanings

  1. old, aged (of people and animals)

    Old in years. It belongs to living beings; things that have been used a long time are 旧. Calling someone 老 in China is not the insult it can be elsewhere — 老 carries respect, which is why 老师 is built from it.

    adjective

  2. always, forever (doing something)

    adverb

    In this colloquial use 老 or 老是 means "keeps on" and usually carries a complaint: 他老是迟到. Where 总是 is neutral, 老是 is impatient.

Character breakdown

  • 老
    lǎo (third tone, dipping)

    old, aged; long-established; (before a verb) always, forever doing something; a familiar or respectful prefix for people

    6 strokes⿸耂匕Radical 老

Example sentences

  • 我爷爷已经很老了。我爺爺已經很老了。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) yéye (second tone, rising) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) lǎo (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)···

    My grandfather is quite old now.

  • 他老是迟到。他老是遲到。Tā (first tone, high and level) lǎoshì (third tone, dipping) chídào. (second tone, rising)···

    He is always late.

Common mistakes

  • Not quite这本书很老。

    Correct这本书很旧。

    Books, clothes and machines wear out, so they are 旧. 老 is for the years a living thing has lived.

Similar words

Words containing 老