老
contributes the sense of old age and elderly people · Kangxi radical 125
contributes the sense of old age and elderly people, and in many characters just supplies the sound lǎo
The old graph drew a person stooped with age, shown with long straggling hair and leaning on a staff. In the modern character the top part 耂 is the bent back and the hair sweeping forward, while the bottom 匕 is the remnant of that long hair; the same 耂 appears squeezed on top of 耄, 耆 and 耋, all words for stages of old age. In 佬, 咾, 姥, 栳 and 铑 the whole 老 is borrowed only for its sound, with the other half giving the meaning.
老 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of old age and elderly people
- Strokes
- 6
- Characters
- 8
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 125
Characters with 老
HSK 5 · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 老 mean?
老 means "contributes the sense of old age and elderly people". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 老?
8 characters in this dictionary contain 老, including ones at HSK 5.
Is 老 a radical?
Yes — 老 is Kangxi radical 125, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 老 have?
老 is written in 6 strokes.