Definitions
(adjective)
old (of people); elderly; aged
(adjective)
experienced; of long standing
(adverb)
always; all the time
(particle)
prefix indicating familiarity or respect
Etymology
Pictograph of an old person with long hair bent over and leaning on a cane.
About
The character 老 originally depicted an elderly person with long hair and a cane, a concept later standardized in its traditional form which consists of the component 耂, an altered form of 毛 (hair), placed above 匕, which here represents a person or a cane. Its core meaning has consistently related to advanced age, but its application broadened to signify seniority, longevity, and respect due to age. This semantic extension led to its use as an honorific prefix, as in 老師 (teacher), and to form words denoting familiarity or permanence, such as 老虎 (tiger). Over time, the character also acquired connotations of something being old in the sense of longstanding or former.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他是我的老师。
老人需要帮助。
老板今天不在。
我很想念老家。
老虎是野生动物。
他是个老实的人。
她做事非常老练。
老朋友见面总是很高兴。