老朽 (lǎo xiǔ) — (noun, humble) self-reference by an old man; I, this old and insignificant person; (adjective) old and useless; decrepit

Definition

Literary/self-deprecating term an elderly person uses to refer to themselves, meaning 'this old and useless one.' It can also describe something decrepit and beyond use.

verb
(noun, humble) self-reference by an old manI, this old and insignificant person
adjective
old and uselessdecrepit

Examples

  • 老朽，。
    lǎo xiǔ Nián mài tǐ shuāi, yǐ wú lì zài yuǎn xíng le.
    This old man is advanced in years and frail; I'm no longer able to travel far.
  • 老朽，。
    lǎo xiǔ Zhī shi qiǎn bó, kǒng nán dān cǐ zhòng rèn.
    I am old and ignorant; I'm afraid I can hardly take on such an important task.
  • 老朽。
    Nà tái lǎo xiǔ de jī qì yǐ jīng wú fǎ xiū lǐ le.
    That old and useless machine can no longer be repaired.

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.

老lǎoold
朽xiǔdecayed

老 and 朽 both describe aging and decay, so the term means decrepit or an old man's humble self-reference.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo朽xiǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

朽 pairs 木, a tree/wood, with 丂, which gives the sound. The 木 part connects it to wood.

Open 朽 →

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