Chinese Character: 劳
1. Character Basics
Radical: 力 (power radical)
Stroke Count: 7
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: láo (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Work; labor; toil; effort; fatigue; to work hard; to tire; toil; to thank; to express gratitude
4. Common Words
- 劳动 (láodòng) - labor; work
- 勤劳 (qínláo) - diligent; hardworking
- 疲劳 (píláo) - tiredness; fatigue; exhaustion
- 劳力 (láolì) - labor; manual labor
- 功劳 (gōngláo) - merit; contribution; achievement
- 劳作 (láozuò) - to work; labor
- 劳苦 (láokǔ) - toil; hard labor; hardships
- 劳驾 (láojià) - excuse me; may I trouble you (polite expression)
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "劳" is commonly used as both a noun and a verb, primarily related to work, labor, and effort. It can also be used in expressions of gratitude or politeness.
Grammar Patterns:
- 劳 + 动: 劳动 (labor; work)
- 勤 + 劳: 勤劳 (diligent; hardworking)
- 疲 + 劳: 疲劳 (tiredness; fatigue)
- 劳 + 力: 劳力 (labor; manual labor)
- 功 + 劳: 功劳 (merit; contribution)
- 劳 + 作: 劳作 (to work; labor)
- 劳 + 苦: 劳苦 (toil; hardships)
- 劳 + 驾: 劳驾 (excuse me; may I trouble you)
- 作名词: 他的劳值得尊重 (His labor deserves respect)
- 作动词: 工作太辛苦，容易劳神 (Work is too hard, it's easy to get tired)
6. Cultural Background
The character "劳" holds significant cultural importance in Chinese society, reflecting the traditional value of hard work and labor.
In Chinese culture, hard work and diligence are highly valued qualities. The character "劳" is often used in positive contexts to praise someone's work ethic or contributions.
China has a long history of honoring labor and workers. May 1st is celebrated as International Workers' Day, and there are many national honors for outstanding workers.
The character is also used in polite expressions like "劳驾" (láojià) meaning "excuse me" or "may I trouble you," which reflects the cultural value of showing consideration for others' efforts.
In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of "勤劳致富" (qínláo zhìfù) - "diligence leads to wealth" - has been an important belief for centuries.
The character's structure, with "艹" (grass) and "冖" (cover) over "力" (power), may symbolize the effort required for agricultural work, which has been fundamental to Chinese civilization.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 劳动最光荣。
Pinyin: Láodòng zuì guāngróng.
English: Labor is the most honorable.
8. Memory Tips
The character "劳" (láo) consists of several components:
- The bottom part is "力" (power radical), indicating effort or strength
- The top parts include "艹" (grass) and "冖" (cover)
To remember the character, think of it as "working hard in the fields" (with the grass radical on top and power/effort at the bottom), which relates to its meaning of labor and work.
Associate the character with common words like "劳动" (labor) and "勤劳" (diligent) to reinforce its meaning.
Note that "劳" can also be used in polite expressions like "劳驾" (excuse me), which is an important usage to remember.
Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help remember its structure and stroke count.