老
老 (lǎo) means “old”. It is made of 耂 + 匕 and has 6 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 老 into its parts
What 老 is made of
- 耂 lǎo — old
- 土 tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 土 tǔ — earth
- 匕 bǐ — spoon
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: A person bent over with long hair 匕 and a crutch; compare 耂 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
老 stroke order
Example sentences
他老说这句话。Tā lǎo shuō zhè jù huà.He always says this.
我爷爷已经老了。Wǒ yéye yǐjīng lǎo le.My grandpa has grown old.
Words with 老
- 老人lǎorénold person
- 老师lǎoshīteacher
- 老年lǎoniánold age
- 老朋友lǎo péngyouold friend
- 老是lǎoshialways
- 老百姓lǎobǎixìngordinary people
- 老板lǎobǎnboss
- 老太太lǎotàitaiold lady
- 老头儿lǎotóurold man (informal)
- 老公lǎogōnghusband
- 老家lǎojiāhometown
- 老婆lǎopówife
- 老实lǎoshihonest
- 老虎lǎohǔtiger
- 老鼠lǎoshǔmouse
- 衰老shuāilǎoto age
Also built with 耂
Quick facts
| Pinyin | lǎo |
|---|---|
| Meaning | old; always; for a long time |
| Strokes | 6 |
| Radical | 老 (old, #125) |
| Pattern | Top–bottom |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 2 (2021) · Old HSK 3 |
Questions about 老
What does 老 mean?
老 (lǎo) means “old; always; for a long time”.
How many strokes does 老 have?
老 has 6 strokes.
What is the radical of 老?
The radical of 老 is 老 (lǎo, “old”), Kangxi radical number 125.
What parts make up 老?
老 is made of 耂 (old) and 匕 (spoon).
Which HSK level is 老?
老 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Learn 老 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 17: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.