1 prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity
1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅汤
yī kē lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō tāng
1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
上有老下有小
shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo
1 lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom)
2 fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children
3 sandwich generation
不听老人言，吃亏在眼前
bù tīng lǎo rén yán , chī kuī zài yǎn qián
1 (idiom) ignore your elders at your peril
天荒地老
tiān huāng dì lǎo
1 until the end of time (idiom)
宝刀不老
bǎo dāo bù lǎo
1 lit. a good sword always remains sharp (idiom)
2 fig. (of one's skills etc) to be as good as ever
3 the old man still has it
宝刀未老
bǎo dāo wèi lǎo
1 treasure knife does not age (idiom); old but still vigorous
年老力衰
nián lǎo lì shuāi
1 old and weak (idiom)
年老体弱
nián lǎo tǐ ruò
1 old and weak (idiom)
敬老尊贤
jìng lǎo zūn xián
1 to respect the wise and venerate the worthy (idiom); to honor the great and the good
有奶便是娘
yǒu nǎi biàn shì niáng
1 lit. whoever provides milk is your mother (idiom)
2 fig. to follow whoever is feeding you
3 to put one's loyalties where one's interests lie
求爷爷告奶奶
qiú yé ye gào nǎi nai
1 lit. to beg grandpa and call on grandma (idiom)
2 fig. to go about begging for help
活到老，学到老
huó dào lǎo , xué dào lǎo
1 One is never too old to learn. (idiom)
无颜见江东父老
wú yán jiàn Jiāng dōng fù lǎo
1 (idiom) to be unable to return to one's hometown due to the shame of failure (originally referred to Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiàng Yǔ], who chose not to retreat to Jiangdong after his humiliating defeat)
狗逮老鼠
gǒu dǎi lǎo shǔ
1 lit. a dog who catches mice (idiom)
2 fig. to be meddlesome
白头偕老
bái tóu xié lǎo
1 (to live together until the) white hairs of old age (idiom); to live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss
2 until death do us part
白头到老
bái tóu dào lǎo
1 (to live together until the) white hairs of old age (idiom); to live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss
2 until death do us part
翻老皇历
fān lǎo huáng lì
1 to look to the past for guidance (idiom)
老大徒伤悲
lǎo dà tú shāng bēi
1 vain regrets of old age (idiom)
老天爷饿不死瞎家雀
lǎo tiān yé è bù sǐ xiā jiā què
1 lit. heaven won't let the sparrows go hungry (idiom)
2 fig. don't give up hope
3 if you tough it out, there will be light at the end of the tunnel