(liù) — busy (in 忙碌, 劳碌, etc., pronounced lù); mediocre, undistinguished (in 庸碌, 碌碌无为, etc., pronounced lù)

Definition

碌 is a bound form — it never stands alone. In 忙碌 and 劳碌 it means 'busy'; in 庸碌 and 碌碌无为 it means 'mediocre, unremarkable'.

bound form
busy (in 忙碌, 劳碌, etc., pronounced lù)mediocreundistinguished (in 庸碌, 碌碌无为, etc., pronounced lù)

Examples

  • Tā zhěng tiān máng liù, méi yǒu shí jiān xiū xi.
    He is busy all day and has no time to rest.
  • Yí gè yōng liù de rén, zài nǔ lì yě hěn nán chéng gōng.
    A mediocre person, no matter how hard they try, will find it difficult to succeed.
  • Tā yì shēng láo liù, zuì hòu què yì wú suǒ yǒu.
    He labored all his life but ended up with nothing.

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