操劳

操勞

cāoláo

verb HSK 7-9 #23,112

Meanings

1 to work hard; to toil
2 to labor with care and worry

Characters

to handle; to manage

Literally 'to handle labor' — managing burdens and working tirelessly, often with emotional overtones of worry.

Examples

妈妈为这个家操劳了一辈子。

Māma wèi zhège jiā cāoláo le yíbèizi.

Mom toiled for this family her whole life.

你太操劳了，注意休息。

Nǐ tài cāoláo le, zhùyì xiūxi.

You've been working too hard — make sure to rest.

Tips

usage

操劳 carries emotional warmth — it's the word Chinese people use to describe a parent's or elder's selfless hard work for the family. It implies both physical labor and mental worry.

Stroke Order

操 cāo

劳 láo