Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
老 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
老
lǎo
old (of people)
HSK 3, a, 6 strokes, radical 老, rank #238, Medium
老
lǎo
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outdated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)lao 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
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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 It can also denote something outdated or tough, particularly in reference to food.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
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 老, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 老 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 老?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 老 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 老 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
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 lǎoshì yào bǎ tā cóng bì lú biān lākāi。
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。
zhěngtǐ ér yán， dāngjīn de lǎonián rén yīrán xiāngduì pínkùn。
As a group, today's old people are still relatively deprived.
