勞 meaning and stroke order
To labor, to toil; to do manual work
How to write 勞, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 勞
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to toil; labor
- (bound form) laborer
- (bound form) meritorious deed
- (bound form) fatigue
- to put sb to the trouble (of doing sth)
- (bound form) to express appreciation for sb's efforts (Taiwan pr. [lao4])
How 勞 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man lifting 力 a load 冖 of grass 炏.
Radical: 力 (strength), shared by 44 characters on this site.
How to remember 勞
The etymology hint pictures a man using strength 力 (lì) to lift a load 冖 of grass 炏. Picture someone straining under a heavy bundle at the bottom of the character, and you have the idea of hard labor.
勞 (láo) is mostly a bound form, so it appears inside words like 勞動 (láodòng, work) and 疲勞 (píláo, fatigue) rather than alone. The main exception is the polite phrase 勞駕 (láojià, excuse me, may I trouble you), which uses the sense of putting someone to trouble. Example: 他很勤勞。(Tā hěn qínláo.) He is very hardworking.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 火火 crowded together or confuse 勞 with 營 (yíng) and 榮 (róng), which share the same top but have 呂 and 木 at the bottom. Only 勞 has 力 at the bottom, and that strength component carries the meaning of toil.
Common words with 勞
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 勞動 | láodòng | work; toil | HSK 5 |
| 功勞 | gōngláo | contribution; meritorious service | HSK 7-9 |
| 疲勞 | píláo | fatigue; wearily | HSK 7-9 |
| 勞累 | láolèi | tired; exhausted | HSK 7-9 |
| 勤勞 | qínláo | hardworking; industrious; diligent | HSK 7-9 |
| 勞動力 | láodònglì | labor force; manpower | HSK 7-9 |
| 操勞 | cāoláo | to work hard; to look after | HSK 7-9 |
| 勞務 | láowù | service (work done for money); services (as in "goods and services") | HSK 7-9 |
| 慰勞 | wèiláo | to show appreciation (by kind words, small gifts etc); to comfort | HSK 7-9 |
| 多勞多得 | duōláo-duōdé | work more and get more | HSK 7-9 |
| 效勞 | xiàoláo | to serve (in some capacity); to work for | |
| 勞駕 | láojià | excuse me | |
| 酬勞 | chóuláo | reward | |
| 勞工 | láogōng | labor; laborer |
Characters that contain 勞
Learning 勞 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 勞
How many strokes are in 勞?
勞 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 勞 mean?
勞 (láo) means to labor, to toil; to do manual work. A common word with it is 劳动 (láodòng), meaning "work; toil".
How do you pronounce 勞?
勞 is pronounced láo, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 勞?
The radical of 勞 is 力, which carries the idea of "strength". Dictionaries list 勞 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 勞?
勞 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 劳, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 勞 and 劳?
They are the same character. 勞 is the form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while 劳 is the simplified form used in mainland China, so the common words listed here like 劳动 are written 勞動 in traditional script.
Why does 勞 sometimes have a fourth tone?
In the sense of expressing appreciation for someone's efforts, as in 慰勞 (wèiláo, to thank and reward), Taiwan often pronounces it lào. In mainland standard Mandarin it is láo in every sense.