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
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
老婆孩子热炕头
lǎo pó hái zi rè kàng tou
1 wife, kids and a warm bed (idiom)
2 the simple and good life
老于世故
lǎo yú shì gù
1 experienced in the ways of the world (idiom); worldly-wise
2 sophisticated
Sample Sentences
这话不老实，我今天没化妆呢。老实说！你是不是在打什么主意？
zhè huà bù lǎoshi ，wǒ jīntiān méi huàzhuāng ne 。lǎoshíshuō ！nǐ shìbùshì zài dǎ shénme zhǔyi ？
You don't sound genuine. I don't have makeup on today. Be honest! What are you planning now?
It went quite well actually. They've asked me to go next week to interview with the department manager. To be honest, it's all because of you that it went so well.