prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
venerable (person)
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
experienced
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
of long standing
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
always
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
all the time
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
of the past
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
very
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
outdated
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
(of meat etc) tough
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
old, aged; experienced
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
lǎo(lao3) T3
1old (of people)
2prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity
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March 24, 2026
老lǎo(lao3)
The character '老' (lǎo) primarily means 'old' and is used to indicate age or experience. In social contexts, it serves as a prefix to convey familiarity or affection towards someone, especially when placed before a surname. It can also denote something outdated or tough, particularly in reference to food.
Strokes6Radical老Frequency#238DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
'老' is frequently used in Chinese culture to show respect for elders, aligning with Confucian values that emphasize filial piety and reverence for age and wisdom. It also reflects the importance of familial relationships in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine an elderly person (老) sitting on a rocking chair, reminiscing about the past. The character looks like a person leaning forward, symbolizing wisdom and experience gained over many years. The pronunciation 'lǎo' sounds like 'low', suggesting that as things age, they often go 'lower' in quality.
Meanings of 老
lǎo(lao3)
1old (of people)
2prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity
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AI Study Notes for 老
Quick Contrast
老 (old) vs 年长 (older) — use 老 for familiarity or affection, while 年长 emphasizes relative age without the same familiarity.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to use '老' in overly formal contexts, as it can sound too casual or familiar. This character often appears in expressions such as '老朋友' (old friend) or '老实说' (to be honest). Ensure you use the appropriate tone to convey the intended meaning, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, '老' connects with other family-related vocabulary and terms describing age or experience, such as '年轻' (young) or '经验' (experience). Students should focus on using it in social contexts and practice its application in phrases.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use '老' in formal introductions, which can sound disrespectful. For example, saying '老王' when addressing someone named Wang in a formal setting should be avoided; instead, use '王先生' (Mr. Wang).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 老
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Pictograph of an old person with long hair bent over and leaning on a cane.
1The giveawayA person bent over with long hair 匕 and a crutch; compare 耂
2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 老? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 老?
Decomposition of 老
IDS Structure⿱耂匕
老Full Character
=
耂lao3
top
匕bi3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 老?
How to say old (of people) in Chinese
“old (of people)” in Chinese is老lǎo
The character '老' (lǎo) primarily means 'old' and is used to indicate age or experience. In social contexts, it serves as a prefix to convey familiarity or affection towards someone, especially when placed before a surname. It can also denote something outdated or tough, particularly in reference to food.
When to use 老
Be careful not to use '老' in overly formal contexts, as it can sound too casual or familiar. This character often appears in expressions such as '老朋友' (old friend) or '老实说' (to be honest). Ensure you use the appropriate tone to convey the intended meaning, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
老 or something close to it
老 (old) vs 年长 (older) — use 老 for familiarity or affection, while 年长 emphasizes relative age without the same familiarity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use '老' in formal introductions, which can sound disrespectful. For example, saying '老王' when addressing someone named Wang in a formal setting should be avoided; instead, use '王先生' (Mr. Wang).
Write 老
老
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Practice writing 老 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 老
老 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 12 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
That old lady likes to buy fruit from the small shop on the corner.
3
虽然他已经老了，但他仍然每天工作。
Suīrán tā yǐjīng lǎo le, dàn tā réngrán měitiān gōngzuò.
Although he is already old, he still works every day.
aprefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity10
4
我老是要把他从壁炉边拉开。
wǒ lǎo shì yào bǎ tā cóng bì lú biān lā kāi。
I was forever dragging him away from the fireplace.
5
整体而言，当今的老年人依然相对贫困。
zhěng tǐ ér yán， ， dāng jīn de lǎo nián rén yī rán xiāng duì pín。
As a group, today's old people are still relatively deprived.
