劳碌 (láo lù) — to work hard; to toil

Definition

劳碌 emphasizes prolonged, grinding hard work — to toil steadily over time rather than a single burst of effort. Conveys weariness from sustained labor, more vivid than the plain 努力.

verb
to work hardto toil

Examples

  • 劳碌。
    Tā yì shēng dōu zài láo lù.
    He toiled his whole life.
  • ，劳碌，。
    Wèi le jiā tíng, tā zhěng rì láo lù, cóng bú bào yuàn.
    For the family, she toiled all day without complaining.
  • 劳碌，。
    Tā men láo lù le duō nián, zhōng yú qǔ dé le chéng gōng.
    They toiled for many years and finally achieved success.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

劳láotoil
碌lùbusy

劳 (toil) and 碌 (busy) together describe hard, busy work.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 勞; 劳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
𬡤
𬡤𬡤勞láo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勞 uses 力 for the meaning and 𬡤 for the sound; the simplified 劳 is a later shortened shape.

Open 劳 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù碌lù
Same sound today

碌 is made of 石 (stone) and 彔, with 彔 giving the sound.

Open 碌 →

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