Wiktionary

老

See also: 耂
老 U+8001, 老
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8001
← 耀
[U+8000] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 耂 →
[U+8002]
⽼ U+2F7C, ⽼
KANGXI RADICAL OLD
← ⽻
[U+2F7B] 		Kangxi Radicals ⽽ →
[U+2F7D]
老 U+F934, 老
CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F934
← 盧
[U+F933] 		CJK Compatibility Ideographs 蘆 →
[U+F935]

Translingual

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Stroke order
 
Stroke order
 

Han character

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See images of
Radical 125 老

老 (Kangxi radical 125, 老+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 十大心 (JKP), four-corner 44711, composition ⿱耂匕)

  1. Kangxi radical #125, ⽼.

Derived characters

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References

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  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 960, character 25
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 28842
  • Dae Jaweon: page 1407, character 8
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2778, character 1
  • Unihan data for U+8001

Chinese

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trad. 老
simp. # 老
alternative forms 𠄰
𦒳
𠈣

Glyph origin

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Characters in the same phonetic series (老) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
老 *ruːʔ
姥 *ruːʔ, *maːʔ
栳 *ruːʔ
恅 *ruːʔ

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 人 (“man”) + 毛 (“hair”) + 匕 (“cane”) – a man with long hair (an old man), leaning on a cane. Compare top component to 孝 (OC *qʰruːs).

Cognate to 考 (OC *kʰluːʔ); the most commonly cited example of 轉注 (“reciprocal meaning”).

Etymology

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Unknown. Compare Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-raw (“withered, residue, corpse”), *rwat (“stiff, tough”), whence Burmese ရော် (rau, “wither, become overripe; age”), ရွတ် (rwat, “old, stiff, tough”). See also 古 (gǔ), 故 (gù).

An old Sino-Vietnamese borrowing is rệu (“overripe, pulpy”).

Pronunciation

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Note:
  • sē, la̿u, lo̤̿ - vernacular;
  • lǎu - literary.
Note:
  • lâu - vernacular;
  • lō̤ - literary.
Note:
  • lao5 - vernacular;
  • lor3 - literary.
Note:
  • lāu/lǎu - vernacular;
  • láu - vernacular (sometimes considered literary);
  • làu - vernacular (limited, e.g. 老闆);
  • lǎ - vernacular (limited, e.g. 老鶚);
  • ló/ló͘/nó͘ - literary.
Note:
  • lao6 - vernacular;
  • lao2 - literary.
Rime
Character 老
Reading # 1/1
Initial (聲) 來 (37)
Final (韻) 豪 (89)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) I
Fanqie 盧晧切
Baxter lawX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/lɑuX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/lɑuX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/lɑuX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/lawX/
Li
Rong 		/lɑuX/
Wang
Li 		/lɑuX/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/lɑuX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		lǎo
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		lou5
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 老
Reading # 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		lǎo
Middle
Chinese 		‹ lawX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*C.rˁuʔ/
English old

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 老
Reading # 1/1
No. 7666
Phonetic
component 		老
Rime
group 		幽
Rime
subdivision 		1
Corresponding
MC rime 		老
Old
Chinese 		/*ruːʔ/

Definitions

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老

  1. old; aged; elderly
    Antonyms: 幼, 少
    老樹／老树  ―  lǎoshù  ―  old tree
    老婦人／老妇人  ―  lǎo fùrén  ―  old woman
    人老了記性就差了。 [MSC, trad.]
    人老了记性就差了。 [MSC, simp.]
    Rén lǎo le jìxìng jiù chā le. [Pinyin]
    One's memory worsens when age increases.
  2. old (as opposed to new); of long standing
    Antonym: 新 (xīn)
    老歌  ―  lǎo gē  ―  old song
    老朋友  ―  lǎopéngyǒu  ―  old friend
  3. outdated; old-fashioned
  4. original; former
    老地方  ―  lǎo dìfāng  ―  usual place
    老本行  ―  lǎo běnháng  ―  original profession
  5. the elderly; one's elders
    敬老  ―  jìnglǎo  ―  to respect the elderly
  6. Used after the surname of an old person to address a venerable old person
    王老  ―  Wáng lǎo  ―  revered old Wang
  7. (figurative) experienced
    Antonym: 嫩 (nèn)
    老手  ―  lǎoshǒu  ―  an old hand
    老兵  ―  lǎobīng  ―  veteran
  8. (literary) to respect (the elderly, one's elders)
  9. (of cooked food) overcooked; tough; stringy; hard
    牛排太老了，我咬不動它。 [MSC, trad.]
    牛排太老了，我咬不动它。 [MSC, simp.]
    Niúpái tài lǎo le, wǒ yǎo bù dòng tā. [Pinyin]
    The steak was so tough I couldn't eat it.
    這雞蛋煮老了，你沒掌握好火候。 [MSC, trad.]
    这鸡蛋煮老了，你没掌握好火候。 [MSC, simp.]
    Zhè jīdàn zhǔ lǎo le, nǐ méi zhǎngwò hǎo huǒhòu. [Pinyin]
    This egg is hard; you didn't time it properly.
  10. (of food or potable liquids) stale; not fresh
  11. always; all the time
    你別老這樣！／你别老这样！  ―  Nǐ bié lǎo zhèyàng!  ―  Stop being always like this!
  12. (chiefly dialectal) very; quite
    老早  ―  lǎozǎo  ―  very early
    他人老好了。  ―  Tā rén lǎo hǎo le.  ―  He is such a nice person! [colloquial, somewhat regional]
    看到儂真個老開心個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    看到侬真个老开心个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]
    5khoe-tau 6non 1tsen-gheq 6lau 1khe-shin-gheq [Wugniu]
    I am really happy to see you.
  13. (euphemistic, of an elderly person) to die; to pass away (usually with 了 (le) or 掉 (diào))
  14. (endearing, respectful) Used before surnames to refer to heads or elder members of families.
    → 小 (xiǎo) (for younger people)
    老張馬上來了，我得趕緊收拾一下屋子。 [MSC, trad.]
    老张马上来了，我得赶紧收拾一下屋子。 [MSC, simp.]
    Lǎo Zhāng mǎshàng lái le, wǒ děi gǎnjǐn shōushí yī xià wū zǐ. [Pinyin]
    Old Zhang is going to be here any minute. I need to hurry up and straighten the room up a bit.
  15. (usually respectful and endearing) Used by analogy in several other relationship terms.
    老師／老师  ―  lǎoshī  ―  teacher
    老婆  ―  lǎopó  ―  wifey
    老公  ―  lǎogōng  ―  hubby
  16. (obsolete, originally honorific) Prefix for animals or people considered senior, fierce, and often awe-inspiring.
    老鷹／老鹰  ―  lǎoyīng  ―  eagle
    老虎  ―  lǎohǔ  ―  tiger
    老鼠  ―  lǎoshǔ  ―  mouse, rat; (obsolete) bat
    老狼  ―  lǎoláng  ―  (rare) elder and experienced wolf
    老貓／老猫  ―  lǎomāo  ―  (rare) elder (potentially annoying) cat
    老狐狸  ―  lǎohúlí  ―  (surviving usage) elder, cunning and experienced fox
    老傢夥／老家伙  ―  lǎojiāhuǒ  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    老東西／老东西  ―  lǎodōngxī  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    老雜碎／老杂碎  ―  lǎozásuì  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)
  17. (Cantonese, colloquial) Prefix for nouns with negative impressions or connotations.
    老強／老强 [Hong Kong Cantonese]  ―  lou5 koeng4-2 [Jyutping]  ―  rape
    老作 [Cantonese]  ―  lou5 zok3 [Jyutping]  ―  made-up
    發老脾／发老脾 [Cantonese]  ―  faat3 lou5 pei4-2 [Jyutping]  ―  to get angry
    老解 [Hong Kong Cantonese]  ―  lou5 gaai2 [Jyutping]  ―  People's Liberation Army
  18. (Cantonese, colloquial) Prefix for nouns to express familiarity.
    老尖 [Hong Kong Cantonese]  ―  lou5 zim1 [Jyutping]  ―  Tsim Sha Tsui
    老銅／老铜 [Hong Kong Cantonese]  ―  lou5 tung4-2 [Jyutping]  ―  Causeway Bay
  19. (colloquial) Used before nouns, especially names of ethnicities, places and countries, to form nouns.
    老外  ―  lǎowài  ―  foreigner; (pejorative) layman, one who lacks knowledge of a subject
    老美  ―  lǎoměi  ―  Yank
    老表  ―  lǎobiǎo  ―  a friend (direct speech, may be intimate or offensive depending on provinces)
    老毛子  ―  lǎomáozi  ―  (pejorative) Russian person
    老蒙古  ―  lǎoménggǔ  ―  (pejorative) Mongols
    老北京  ―  lǎoběijīng  ―  indigenous Beijing person
    老山東／老山东  ―  lǎoshāndōng  ―  indigenous Shandong person
    老西兒／老西儿  ―  lǎoxīr  ―  (affectionate) Shanxi person
    老回回  ―  lǎohuíhuí  ―  Hui person (affectionate in some cases, pejorative in other cases, never neutral, depends on the region, speaker, listener, situation and speaking mood)
  20. Short for 老子 (Lǎozǐ, “Laozi; Lao Tzu”).
  21. (Mainland China, Hong Kong) Short for 老撾／老挝 (Lǎowō, “Laos”).

Synonyms

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  • (old):
  • (very):
Dialectal synonyms of 很 (“very”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 甚, 孔
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 很, 非常, 十分
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 挺, 很, 倍兒, 怪
Taiwan 很, 好, 非常, 超, 蠻, 超級
Malaysia 很
Singapore 很, 蠻, 非常
Jilu Mandarin Tianjin 挺, 很, 傻, 老, 倍兒, 齁兒
Jinan 挺, 楞
Central Plains Mandarin Xi'an 很
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 很, 好
Chongqing 很
Wuhan 蠻, 很
Jianghuai Mandarin Yangzhou 蠻, 稀, 很
Hefei 很
Cantonese Guangzhou 好, 非常之
Hong Kong 好, 非常, 非常之, 超, 勁, 十分之, 無敵
Zhongshan (Shiqi) 好
Taishan 好, 十分之
Yangjiang 好
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 好
Singapore (Guangfu) 好, 非常之, 非常
Gan Nanchang 蠻
Hakka Meixian 好, 刮, 已, 還, 異, 還 exclamation
Huidong (Daling) 好
Wuhua (Meilin) 好
Shaoguan (Qujiang) 頂
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 好
Changting 野
Wuping (Pingyu) 已, 刮
Liancheng 樣
Ninghua 好
Ruijin 蠻
Shicheng 蠻
Shangyou (Shexi) 蠻
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 當, 已, 還
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 蓋, 盡, 還
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 當, 盡, 已, 還
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 當, 已, 還
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 當, 已, 還
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 足, 真, 實在
Hong Kong 好
Sabah (Bao'an) 好
Kuching (Hepo) 很
Singapore (Dabu) 好
Jin Taiyuan 很, 挺
Northern Min Jian'ou 盡
Eastern Min Fuzhou 野, 真
Singapore (Fuqing) 真
Sitiawan (Gutian) 真
Southern Min Xiamen 真, 野, 誠, 有夠, 萬代, 死人, 非常, 真正, 設汰, 一
Xiamen (Tong'an) 真
Quanzhou 真, 野, 誠, 有夠, 萬代, 死人, 設汰
Jinjiang 野
Zhangzhou 盡, 蓋, 足, 足範, 有夠, 出奇, 極死, 見死, 死了了, 死人, 設汰, 設汰仔
Zhao'an 很, 真, 死絕, 好, 非常
Dongshan 真, 非常
Taipei 真, 誠
New Taipei (Sanxia) 真, 誠
Kaohsiung 有夠, 足, 真, 誠, 蓋
Yilan 有夠, 足, 誠, 盡
Changhua (Lukang) 真, 誠
Taichung 誠, 蓋, 足
Tainan 有夠, 足, 真, 誠, 蓋
Hsinchu 真, 誠
Kinmen 足, 誠
Penghu (Magong) 真, 誠
Penang (Hokkien) 真, 誠, 真正
Singapore (Hokkien) 真, 死爸, 真正, 誠, 足, 有夠
Manila (Hokkien) 野, 真, 萬代, 真誠, 誠, 有夠
Chaozhou 過, 好, 非常, 死爸
Shantou 過, 鐵, 好, 很, 死爸, 死絕
Shantou (Chenghai) 好, 死絕
Shantou (Chaoyang) 好, 非常
Jieyang 過, 好, 死爸, 死絕
Bangkok (Teochew) 好
Johor Bahru (Teochew) 好
Singapore (Teochew) 真, 死爸, 非常
Wenchang 極, 但顧, 真
Haikou 但顧
Qionghai 但顧, 真
Singapore (Hainanese) 但顧, 真
Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 好, 蠻
Wu Shanghai 蠻, 老, 邪氣, 老老, 瞎, 絕, 十分, 十二萬分, 非常, 非常之, 畢, 畢畢, 來得, 來得個, 煞, 交關, 十二分 rare, 窮 dated, 野 dated, 邪 dated
Suzhou 蠻, 窮
Hangzhou 蠻, 交關, 木佬佬, 冒
Ningbo 交關, 蠻, 堪, 𣍐好, 𣍐派, 甮派, 出格, 木牢牢 rare, 猛 rare
Zhoushan 交關, 蠻, 猛, 堪, 出格, 木牢牢 rare
Wenzhou 蠻, 蒙, 顯
Xiang Changsha 很, 蠻
Shuangfeng 蠻
  • (to die):
Dialectal synonyms of 死 (“to die”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 死, 亡, 歿, 卒
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 死, 死亡, 亡故, 喪生, 喪命, 去世 †, 過世 †, 逝世 †, 離世 †, 下世 †, 不在 †, 過去 †, 仙逝 †, 歸天 †, 歸西 †, 升天 †, 作古 †, 長眠 †, 閉眼 †, 故去 †, ‡, 故世 †, ‡, 一命嗚呼, 謝世, 離開人間
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 死, 故去 †, 老 †, ‡, 踹腿 ¤, 踹腿兒 ¤, 踹 ¤, 回姥姥家 ¤, 彎回去 †, 毛兒提 Hui
Taiwan 死, 過世 †
Harbin 死, 老 †, ‡, 伸腿兒 ¤, 伸腿 ¤, 蹬腿兒 ¤, 奔兒咕 ¤, 桿兒屁 §, 桿兒細 §, 吹燈拔蠟
Singapore 死, 死掉, 死翹翹, 過世 †, 去世 †, 上天堂 †, 賣鹹鴨蛋 †
Jilu Mandarin Jinan 死, 歿, 過去 †, 老 †, ‡, 不在 †, ‡, 王八 §, 完蛋, 完錢, 完活, 無常 Hui, 歸主 Hui, 歸真 Hui
Jiaoliao Mandarin Yantai (Muping) 死, 老 †, ‡, 上西天 §
Central Plains Mandarin Luoyang 死, 過去, 過世, 下世, 亡故, 不在, 升天, 去世 †, 老 †, ‡, 擱那兒 ¤
Wanrong 死, 歿, 老 †, ‡
Xi'an 死, 不在 †, 老 †, ‡, 無常 Hui
Xining 歿
Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 死, 走 †, 歿 Hui, 歸真 Hui, 冒提 Hui, 口喚 Hui, 無常 Hui, 完 Hui
Lanzhou 死, 過世 †, 緩下 †, 躺下 †
Ürümqi 死, 過世 †, 不在 †
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 死, 過去 †, 不在 †, 去 †, 過世 †, 老 †, ‡, 撬桿兒 §, 撬桿 §, 翹辮子 §, 見馬克思, 歸天, 去陰國, 爬高煙囪, 落氣, 冰凊, 沒脈
Wuhan 死, 過身 †, 去 †, 老 †, ‡, 去回 ¤, 翹辮子 ¤, 翹 ¤, 瓜碼子 ¤, 瓜 ¤, 西皮
Guiyang 死, 過世 †, 成神 †, ‡, 百年歸天 †, ‡, 嗚呼 ¤
Liuzhou 死, 沒得脈, 過世 †, 過身 †, 沒在 †, 哦嚄
Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 死, 過世 †, 歸天 †, ‡, 不在 †, 嗝兒得 ¤, 翹辮子 ¤
Yangzhou 死, 不在 †, 走 †, 家去吃去 ¤, 家去 ¤, 翹辮子 ¤, 翹 ¤, 駝條 §
Hefei 死, 不在 †, 老 †
Cantonese Guangzhou 死, 過身 †, 過世 †, 老 †, ‡, 百年歸老 †, ‡, 去別有天 †, ¤, 去大煙筒 †, ¤, 瓜 ¤, 瓜老襯 ¤, 收檔 ¤, 攞竇 ¤, 進竇 §, 瓜竇, 直, 瓜直, 死直, 攤直, 雙腳撐直, 伸直腳, 拉柴, 瓜柴, 褸席, 歸西, 歸天, 食黃泥, 入黃泥窿, 入窿, 玩完, 嫌米貴, 瞇埋眼, 一 argot
Hong Kong 死, 過身 †, 走 †, 香 †, 去 †, 唔喺度 †, 百年歸老 †, 賣鹹鴨蛋 †, 兩腳一伸 †, 仙遊 †, 拜拜 †, 去閻羅王處報到 †, 瓜 ¤, 瓜老襯 ¤, 拉柴, 瓜柴, 釘蓋, 釘, 直, 歸西, 玩完, ham
Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou) 過身
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) 過身
Hong Kong (Ting Kok) 過身, 死
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) 過身
Macau 過身, 去
Guangzhou (Panyu) 過身, 死
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 死
Guangzhou (Conghua) 過身, 死
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 去歸, 過身
Foshan 過身, 死
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 死, 過身
Foshan (Shunde) 過身
Foshan (Sanshui) 過身
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 死
Zhongshan (Shiqi) 過身
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) 死
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) 過身, 死
Zhuhai (Doumen) 死, 過身
Jiangmen (Baisha) 過身, 死
Jiangmen (Xinhui) 死, 過身
Taishan 死, 善, 去
Kaiping (Chikan) 死, 登仙
Enping (Niujiang) 過身, 死
Heshan (Yayao) 死
Dongguan 死, 老 †, 去返 †, 去舊時嗰處 †, 視埋眼 †, 伸直腳 †, 入罌 †, 拉柴 §, 去大煙筒 §
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 死, 過身
Yangjiang 死, 過輩 †, 老 †, ‡, 老大 †, ‡
Singapore (Guangfu) 死, 過身 †
Gan Nanchang 死, 過世 †, 老 †
Lichuan 死
Pingxiang 死, 過 †, 走路 †, 老 †, ‡, 去
Hakka Meixian 死, 老, 過身 †, 消 †, 老壽 †, ‡
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) 過身, 香 †
Dongguan (Qingxi) 過身, 死
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 死, 過身
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 死
Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) 死, 過身
Yudu 死, 過世 †, 過套 †, 過身 †, 轉去 †, 轉該背 †, 歸仙 †, 轉老外婆裡 ¤
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 死, 過身 †, 往生 †
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 死, 過身 †, 往生 †
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 死, 過身 †, 往生 †
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 死, 過身 †, 往生 †
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 死, 過身 †, 往生 †
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 死, 過身 †
Hong Kong 過身, 老
Huizhou Jixi 死, 過世 †, 過輩 †, 過身 †, 不在 †, 過老 §, 過邊 §, 進棺材 §, 進風水 §, 翹扁 §, ¤
Jin Taiyuan 死, 沒啦 †, 走 †, 過去 †, 老 †, ‡, 老客 †, ‡
Xinzhou 死, 回老家 †, 硬 §, 㞗朝天 of a man, vulgar, 倒蕎麥皮
Northern Min Jian'ou 死, 過身 †, 老 †, ‡
Eastern Min Fuzhou 死, 過去 †, 過世 †, 過後 †, 歸西 †, 百歲 †, 老去 †, ‡, 堯街去 ¤, 堯生去 ¤, 溜翹 ¤, 殂 ¤, 去算米數 ¤, 去外媽食齋 ¤, 去外媽 ¤, 去䁐廬山 ¤, 去厝去 ¤, 睏長暝眠 ¤, 翹齋 ¤, 揭兜去 ¤, 拔直去 ¤, 上天去 ¤, 生去 ¤, 𣪟去 ¤, 䁐松柏樹 ¤, 䁐松柏 ¤, 轉祖 §
Southern Min Xiamen 死, 過身 †, 過氣 †, 百歲 †, 百年 †, 百歲年老 †, 行去 †, 無去 †, 㾀 †, 老去 †, ‡, 老咯 †, ‡, 蟯 ¤, 蟯歹 ¤, 蟯癱 ¤, 行雞 ¤, 馬滴 §
Quanzhou 死, 過身 †, 過氣 †, 百歲 †, 百年 †, 無去 †, 老去 †, ‡, 老咯 †, ‡, 行雞 ¤, 馬滴 §
Zhangzhou 死, 過身 †, 過氣 †, 百歲 †, 百年 †, 百歲年老 †, 行去 †, 無去 †, 起身 †, 老去 †, ‡, 老咯 †, ‡, 蟯 ¤, 蟯歹 ¤, 蟯癱 ¤, 行雞 ¤, 誆牽 §, 㾀 §, 㾀歹 §, 馬滴 §
Taipei 死去, 老 †, 過身 †
New Taipei (Sanxia) 死去, 老去 †, 往生 †, 過身 †
Kaohsiung 死去, 老去 †, 行去 †, 往生 †, 無佇咧 †, 過身 †, 轉去 †
Yilan 死去, 老去 †, 往生 †, 無佇咧 †, 過身 †, 過往 †
Changhua (Lukang) 死去, 老 †, 無去 †, 過身 †, 轉去 †
Taichung 死去, 往生 †, 過身 †
Tainan 死去, 老去 †, 行去 †, 往生 †, 無佇咧 †, 過身 †, 轉去 †
Hsinchu 曲去, 去咯 †, 往生 †, 過身 †, 老去 †
Kinmen 死去, 往生 †, 過身 †, 行去 †
Penghu (Magong) 死去, 往生 †, 過身 †, 老去 †
Singapore (Hokkien) 死, 馬滴, 死翹翹, 過身 †, 百年 †, 百歲 †, 過氣 †, 起車 †, 老去 †, 老咯 †, 行去 †, 蟯去 †, 吭跤翹 †, 交登記 †
Manila (Hokkien) 死, 死去, 過面 †, 過身 †
Chaozhou 死, 過身 †, 過世 †
Jieyang 過身, 吭跤翹, 吭翹
Singapore (Teochew) 死, 過身
Leizhou 死, 過世 †, 過輩 †, 過目焗 ¤, 直筒 §, 刮薯減米 §
Haikou 死, 過層 †, ‡, 老 †, ‡, 貓使 §
Singapore (Hainanese) 死
Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 死
Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 死, 瓜老襯, 過世, 歸西
Wu Shanghai 死, 故 †, 過世 †, 嘸沒 †, 一腳去 †, 翹辮子 §, ¤, 彈老三 §, 翹老三 §
Shanghai (Chongming) 死, 老 †, 故 †, 翹辮子 ¤
Suzhou 死, 壞, 去, 過世 †, 翹辮子 §
Danyang 死
Hangzhou 死, 故 †, 過世 †, 翹辮兒 ¤, 到龍駒塢去
Ningbo 死, 翹辮子 §, 過世 †, 嘸沒 †, 死脫 §, 燂茶, 山裡去, 吃豆腐羹, 嘸沒來的 †, 老 †
Wenzhou 死, 冇 †, 過輩 †, ‡, 蹻 ¤
Jinhua 死, 過世 †, 過輩 †, 弗在 †, 老 †, ‡
Xiang Changsha 死, 過 †, 去 †, 瓜, 彈, 彈四郎
Loudi 死, 過世 †, 故 †, 上岸 †
Shuangfeng 死, 過世 †, 故 †
Note † - euphemistic; ‡ - usually of the elderly; ¤ - humorous; § - derogatory/disrespectful

Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of “old”): 嫩 (nèn), 幼 (yòu)

Compounds

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Descendants

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Sino-Xenic (老):
  • → Korean: 로/노(老) (ro/no)
  • → Vietnamese: lão (老)

References

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Japanese

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Kanji

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老

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

  1. old age, an elderly person, the aged, the elderly

Readings

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Compounds

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Compounds

Korean

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Etymology

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From Middle Chinese 老 (MC lawX).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 로ᇢ〯 (Yale: lwǒw)
Middle Korean
Text Eumhun
Gloss (hun) Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2] 늘글〮 (Yale: nùlkúl) 로〯 (Yale: lwŏ)

Pronunciation

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  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ɾo̞(ː)] ~ [no̞(ː)]
  • Phonetic hangul: [로(ː)/노(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

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老 (eumhun 늙을 로 (neulgeul ro), word-initial (South Korea) 늙을 노 (neulgeul no))

  1. hanja form? of 로/노 (“old”) [affix; suffix]

Compounds

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Compounds

Vietnamese

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Han character

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老: Hán Việt readings: lão[1][2][3]
老: Nôm readings: lảo[1][3][4], lảu[1][3][4], lão[1][2], lẽo[1][3], láu[3][4], rảu[3][4], láo[1], lạo[1], não[1], rau[1], sáu[1], lểu[2], lếu[3], lẩu[3]

  1. chữ Hán form of lão (“old; aged”).

Compounds

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Nguyễn (2014).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Trần (2004).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Hồ (1976).
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