劳 (láo) — (bound form) to encourage, to console
Definition
Bound form (láo) meaning 'to comfort, console, reward with kindness.' Always pairs with 慰 (as 慰劳), never used alone, and conveys rewarding effort with gifts, meals, or kind words.
bound form
to encourageto console
Examples
- 。Gōng sī zhǔn bèi le yí dùn dà cān wèi láo jiā bān jiā diǎn de yuán gōng.The company prepared a big meal to console the employees working overtime.
- 劳，。Tā men dài zhe lǐ wù qù láo jūn, biǎo dá duì zhàn shì men de jìng yì.They brought gifts to cheer the troops, expressing respect for the soldiers.
- 。Lǐng dǎo yòng zhè cì jù cān wèi láo le quán tǐ tóng shì.The leader used this dinner party to console all colleagues.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
Appears in
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