老 (lǎo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 老 (lǎo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 老 (lǎo) means "old; elderly". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 6 strokes and the radical 老.

Q: How do you write 老 stroke by stroke?

老 has 6 strokes. The radical is 老. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 老 and 耂?

老 (lǎo) and 耂 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 老?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 老. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 老?

Common words containing 老 include: 老师 (lǎo shī) — Teacher.; 老人 (lǎo rén) — elderly person; the aged; 老家 (lǎo jiā) — Hometown..

How to Write 老

The character 老 (lǎo) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 老 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

老 is pronounced lǎo in Mandarin Chinese. It means old; elderly.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 老 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 老

老师 lǎo shī

Teacher.

老人 lǎo rén

elderly person; the aged

老家 lǎo jiā

Hometown.

Example Sentences

老师在教室里。

lǎo shī zài jiào shì lǐ

The teacher is in the classroom.

那个老人很健康。

nà ge lǎo rén hěn jiàn kāng

That old man is very healthy.

我想回老家看看。

wǒ xiǎng huí lǎo jiā kàn kàn

I want to visit my hometown.

Similar Characters

耂 lǎo

Practice Writing 老 (lǎo)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 老 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 老

What does 老 (lǎo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 老 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 老 and 耂?

What mistakes do learners make writing 老?

What common words use 老?

How to Write 老 (lǎo)