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嫪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嫪làoto hanker afterzg, 14 strokes, radical 女
嫪làosurname Laounknown, 14 strokes, radical 女
lào(Lao4)lao T4
  1. 1to hanker after
Also a Chinese surname, Lao — see the Surname Dictionary
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March 24, 2026

嫪lào(Lao4)

The character 嫪 (lào) primarily means to hanker after or to long for something. It's often used in a poetic or romantic context, expressing deep desires or yearnings. Additionally, it can serve as a surname in Chinese culture, although this usage is less common.

Strokes14Radical女
Cultural note

In Chinese literature, themes of longing and desire are prevalent, often reflected in poetry and songs. The character 嫪 embodies this cultural motif, resonating with the idea of yearning for unattainable love or dreams.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'lad' (sounds like 'lào') who is longing for a lost love. The character 嫪 consists of the 'female' radical 女 on the left, suggesting that this longing often has a romantic or emotional connection.

Meanings of 嫪

lào(Lao4)
1to hanker after
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 嫪

嫪Simplified
14Strokes
女Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嫪

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Podcast: 嫪

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AI Study Notes for 嫪

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 嫪, as a mispronunciation can lead to confusion. It is rarely used in everyday conversation, so it’s more suitable for literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 嫪望 (làowàng), meaning to long for.

HSK Study Tips

While 嫪 is not included in HSK levels, it can be beneficial for learners to understand the emotional depth of vocabulary. Focus on related characters that express desires, such as 想 (xiǎng) and 爱 (ài), to enhance comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 嫪 with similar-sounding characters or misuse it in non-poetic contexts. For example, saying '我嫪吃糖' (I long for candy) is incorrect; instead, use a more common expression like '我想吃糖' (I want to eat candy).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嫪

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Jason Explains 嫪 to You

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Etymology of 嫪

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)翏
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

嫪 = 女 + 翏. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 嫪

IDS Structure⿰女翏
嫪Full character
=
女nü3
left
翏liu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 嫪?

How to say to hanker after in Chinese

“to hanker after” in Chinese is嫪lào

The character 嫪 (lào) primarily means to hanker after or to long for something. It's often used in a poetic or romantic context, expressing deep desires or yearnings. Additionally, it can serve as a surname in Chinese culture, although this usage is less common.

When to use 嫪

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 嫪, as a mispronunciation can lead to confusion. It is rarely used in everyday conversation, so it’s more suitable for literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 嫪望 (làowàng), meaning to long for.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 嫪 with similar-sounding characters or misuse it in non-poetic contexts. For example, saying '我嫪吃糖' (I long for candy) is incorrect; instead, use a more common expression like '我想吃糖' (I want to eat candy).

Write 嫪

嫪

Practice writing 嫪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 嫪

Words containing this character2
嫪毐Lao Ai (-238 BC), man of Qin famous for his giant penis
嫪làosurname Lao
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 嫪

What does 嫪毐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嫪

You might say, '他对她的爱情充满了嫪望,' meaning 'He is filled with longing for her love.'

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