Meanings of 勞
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About 勞
Podcast: 勞
Podcast: 勞
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AI Study Notes for 勞
劳 (láo) vs 苦 (kǔ) — choose 勞 (láo) when emphasizing physical labor or toil, while 苦 (kǔ) focuses more on suffering or hardship.
Learners often confuse 勞 with more casual terms for work, like 工作 (gōngzuò). This word is typically used in formal contexts, discussing work ethics or hard labor. Be careful with tone; the first tone in 'láo' is crucial to distinguish it from similar-sounding words.
Although 勞 is not specifically in HSK vocabulary, it connects to themes of work found in levels 2 and 3 (e.g., 工作). Focus on recognizing its usage in phrases related to effort, labor, and fatigue as you advance in vocabulary.
Learners may incorrectly use 勞 in casual settings, where 工作 would be more appropriate. For instance, saying '我今天勞得很累' (I labored hard today) sounds overly formal; instead, say '我今天工作得很累'.
Pronunciation of 勞
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Etymology of 勞
Simplified form of 勞. Origin unclear.
A man lifting 力 a load 冖 of grass 炏
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 勞
Simplified form of 勞. Origin unclear.
- 1The giveawayA man lifting 力 a load 冖 of grass 炏
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 勞? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 勞?
Decomposition of 勞
Identify the Components
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How to say to labor, to toil; to do manual work in Chinese
“to labor, to toil; to do manual work” in Chinese is勞
The character 勞 (láo) refers to labor or toil, often implying hard work or manual effort. It is commonly used in contexts related to physical labor, work-related discussions, and expressions of effort or fatigue. This word can also carry a nuance of being weary from hard work.
When to use 勞
Learners often confuse 勞 with more casual terms for work, like 工作 (gōngzuò). This word is typically used in formal contexts, discussing work ethics or hard labor. Be careful with tone; the first tone in 'láo' is crucial to distinguish it from similar-sounding words.
勞 or something close to it
劳 (láo) vs 苦 (kǔ) — choose 勞 (láo) when emphasizing physical labor or toil, while 苦 (kǔ) focuses more on suffering or hardship.
What learners get wrong
Learners may incorrectly use 勞 in casual settings, where 工作 would be more appropriate. For instance, saying '我今天勞得很累' (I labored hard today) sounds overly formal; instead, say '我今天工作得很累'.
Write 勞
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Practice writing 勞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 勞
Compound Meaning
What does 劳动 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 勞
勞 (láo) emphasizes hard or manual labor, while 工作 (gōngzuò) is more general, referring to any work or job.
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