age ⇒ 这些机器设备正在老化。 Zhèxiē jīqì shèbèi zhèngzài lǎohuà. → These machines are getting old.
老外
foreigner
老大
head ⇒ 他是我们小组的老大。 Tā shì wǒmen xiǎozǔ de lǎodà. → He is the leader of our group.
老婆
( 口 ) wife ( pl wives )
老子
( 父亲 ) father
老实
( 诚实规矩 ) honest
老家
home ⇒ 回老家 huí lǎojiā → return home ⇒ 我老家在上海。 Wǒ lǎojiā zài Shànghǎi. → Shanghai is my hometown.
老巢
den
老师
teacher
老年
old age
老底
dubious past
老成
mature
老手
expert ⇒ 修车老手 xiūchē lǎoshǒu → expert mechanic
老本
capital ⇒ 他失业后尽吃老本。 Tā shīyè hòu jìn chī lǎoběn. → After he lost his job, he had to use up all his savings.
老朽
decrepit
老板
boss
老气
( 指人 ) mature
老汉
old man ( pl men )
老爷
master
老牌
established brand
老练
experienced
老虎
tiger
老话
saying
老账
old debts
老迈
aged
老鼠
mouse ( pl mice )
苍老
old
衰老
ageing ⇒ 经常运动可以延缓衰老过程。 Jīngcháng yùndòng kěyǐ yánhuǎn shuāilǎo guòchéng. → Regular exercise can delay the ageing process. ⇒ 她非常害怕衰老。 Tā fēicháng hàipà shuāilǎo. → She's really afraid of getting old.
回老家
( 字 ) return home
老大难
long-standing problem ⇒ 交通阻塞的确是北京的老大难。 Jiāotōng zǔsè díquè shì Běijīng de lǎodànán. → Congestion really is a long-standing problem in Beijing.
老字号
established name
老百姓
ordinary people
倚老卖老
take advantage of one's seniority
告老还乡
retire to one's hometown
少年老成
mature beyond one's years
月下老人
matchmaker
白头偕老
live together to a ripe old age ⇒ 祝愿这对新人白头偕老,永远幸福。 Zhùyuàn zhè duì xīnrén báitóu xié lǎo, yǒngyuǎn xìngfú. → May the bride and groom live happily ever after to a ripe old age.
老于世故
worldly-wise
老奸巨猾
sly old devil
老态龙钟
worn out with age ⇒ 他变得老态龙钟,牙掉了,路也走不动。 Tā biàn de lǎotài lóngzhōng, yá diào le, lù yě zǒu bù dòng. → He has aged a great deal — he's lost his teeth and has become house-bound.
老生常谈
commonplace
老调重弹
it's the same old tune
老谋深算
⇒ 我们教练老谋深算,善于利用对手的弱点。 Wǒmen jiàoliàn lǎo móu shēn suàn, shànyú lìyòng duìshǒu de ruòdiǎn. → Our coach is a wise old bird — he's good at using the opponents' weaknesses.
English translation of '老'
老
(lǎo)
形
(= 年岁大的) old
⇒ 老婆婆 (lǎopópo) old lady
(= 有经验的) experienced
⇒ 老手 (lǎoshǒu) veteran
(= 旧的) old
⇒ 老同学 (lǎo tóngxué) old school friend
(= 火候大的) over-done
⇒ 肉煮老了。 (Ròu zhǔlǎo le.) The meat is over-done.
名
(= 老人) old people
⇒ 爱老携幼 (ài lǎo xié yòu) care for and nurture the old and young
副
(= 经常) always
⇒ 他老去父母家吃饭。 (Tā lǎo qù fùmǔ jiā chīfàn.) He always eats dinner at his parent's house.
(= 长久) for a long time
⇒ 电器老不用就会坏。 (Diànqì lǎo bù yòng jiù huì huài.) If electrical equipment isn't used for a long time it can break down.