láo to toil; labor; laborer

Made up of [ strength radical 19, cǎo grass; herb radical 140, cover; crown radical 14]
Made with 7 strokes.
The original pictograph was a person laboring inside under the light of many fires. The original 'fires' have become 'grass' but maintain the implication of hard work

Related characters


Also uses component: biān (side) dòng (to use) gōng (accomplishment) (coffee) (to experience) lìng (other) nán (male) qióng (exhausted) (revive) wèi (do) (affair)
Also uses cǎo component: cài (vegetable) cǎo (grass) chá (tea) dǒng (to understand) huā (flower) jié (joint) (bitter) lán (blue) mǎn (to fill) māo (cat) měng (Mongol) (do not) píng (apple) (grape) qián (front) ruò (to seem) (revive) táo (grapes) yào (medicine) (skill) yīng (flower) zàng (treasury) zhēng (to steam)
Also uses component: ài (love) měi (each) měng (Mongol) miǎn (to escape) nóng (to farm) xiě (write)

Different tone

lǎo (venerable) lǎo (old)

< Previous lán Next lǎo >

Proverbs

能者多劳 néng zhě duō láo Busy people are busy because they are capable
徒劳无功 tú láo wú gōng Pointless effort that will achieve nothing.