Definition
捞 (lāo) is to fish out or dredge from liquid; it also colloquially means to gain profit by improper means. Compared to 打捞 (dǎ lāo, formal salvage from water), 捞 is more everyday and has this dual sense. Its action is specifically from liquid, unlike 捡 (pick up from ground) or 掏 (take out from pocket).
verb
to fish outto dredge up (from liquid)to gain (profit) by improper meansto get (benefits)
Easily confused
- 涝làolook-alikeflooded (of land, due to excessive rain)
- 老lǎosound-alikeold (of people)
- 牢láosound-alikeprison
Examples
- 捞。Tā cóng hé lǐ lāo shànglái yì tiáo yú.He fished a fish out of the river.
- 捞。Tā lìyòng zhíwù zhī biàn lāo le bù shǎo qián.He used his position to gain quite a bit of money.
- 捞。Jǐngchá bǎ luòshuǐ de háizi lāo le shànglái.The police fished the child who had fallen into the water out.
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