TongTong
Sign in

效劳 (xiào láo) — to serve, to work for (in a humble or polite context)

Definition

效劳 means 'to serve / offer one's service' in a polite or deferential context — stronger and more formal than everyday 服务. Often used to humbly offer help, e.g. 为您效劳.

verb
to serveto work for (in a humble or polite context)

Examples

  • 效劳。
    Wǒ hěn lè yì wèi nín xiào láo.
    I am very happy to serve you.
  • 。
    Tā wèi gōng sī xiào le èr shí nián de láo.
    He has worked for the company for twenty years.
  • ，。
    Shàng cì wǒ wèi nín xiào guò yí cì láo, zhè cì nín jǐn guǎn kāi kǒu.
    Last time I served you once, so this time feel free to ask.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

效xiàooffer
劳láolabor

效 means to offer, and 劳 means labor or service, together expressing offering one's labor.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūto strike; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo效xiào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

效 pairs 攵 (written in full as 攴), meaning “to strike; action,” with 交, which gives the sound.

Open 效 →

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 →
Appears in
Professions & Jobs5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.