Chinese Conversation · Level 4
88 words
Chinese word
老
Pronunciation
Pinyinlǎo
Meaning
- adjectiveold
Example
他很老。tā hěn lǎo
He is very old.
More examples
我的奶奶已经老了。wǒ de nái nǎi yǐ jīng lǎo le
My grandmother is already old.
Core concept
What has lasted a long time carries the weight of age, whether that age appears on a face, on an object, or in a pattern that keeps returning.
Common phrases
很老hěn lǎo
very old
太老了tài lǎo le
too old
Definition in Chinese
表示年纪大，身体或外貌显现出岁月的痕迹，常用于指人，也可形容事物因时间久而变旧。biǎo shì nián jì dà shēn tǐ huò wài mào xiǎn xiàn chū suì yuè de hén jì cháng yòng yú zhǐ rén yě kě xíng róng shì wù yīn shí jiān jiǔ ér biàn jiù
Word origin
The ancient form of 老 (lǎo, "old") shows a bent older person, and this image helps explain its wider use for things that have lasted or patterns that happen again and again.
Usage tips
- English speakers often use age words freely for objects, but applying one to a person can be sensitive in both languages, especially with strangers or older adults.
Other meanings
- elderadjective
- alwaysadverb
- ancientadjective
Opposites
- 年轻nián qīngyoungadjective
- 新xīnnewadjective