| 老 | lǎo | 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; old (of people); venerable (person); experienced; of long standing; always; all the time; of the past; very; outdated; (of meat etc) tough |
| 老人 | lǎo rén | old man or woman; the elderly; one's aged parents or grandparents |
| 老师 | lǎo shī | teacher; CL:个,位 |
| 老挝 | Lǎo wō | Laos |
| 老汉 | lǎo hàn | old man; I (an old man referring to himself) |
| 老百姓 | lǎo bǎi xìng | ordinary people; the "person in the street"; CL:个 |
| 老爷 | lǎo ye | (respectful) lord; master; (informal) maternal grandfather |
| 老实 | lǎo shí | honest; sincere; open and guileless; naive |
| 老子 | Lǎo Zǐ | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, the founder of Taoism; the sacred book of Daoism, 道德经 by Laozi |
| 老子 | lǎo zi | father; daddy; "I, your father" (in anger, or out of contempt); I (used arrogantly or jocularly) |
| 老婆 | lǎo pó | (informal) wife |
| 古老 | gǔ lǎo | ancient; old; age-old |
| 老太太 | lǎo tài tai | elderly lady (respectful); esteemed mother; CL:位 |
| 老人家 | lǎo rén jiā | polite term for old woman or man |
| 老头子 | lǎo tóu zi | old fogey; old codger; my old man |
| 老头 | lǎo tóu | old fellow (disrespectful) |
| 老板 | lǎo bǎn | boss; business proprietor; CL:个; Robam (brand) |
| 老年 | lǎo nián | elderly; old age; autumn of one's years |
| 老大 | lǎo dà | old age; very; eldest child in a family; leader of a group; boss; captain of a boat; leader of a criminal gang |
| 老化 | lǎo huà | to age (of person or object); becoming old |
| 老头儿 | lǎo tóur | old man (often impolite); CL:个 |
| 老成 | lǎo chéng | mature; experienced; sophisticated |
| 老虎 | lǎo hǔ | tiger; CL:只 |
| 衰老 | shuāi lǎo | to age; to deteriorate with age; old and weak |
| 老鼠 | lǎo shǔ | rat; mouse; CL:只 |
| 老乡 | lǎo xiāng | fellow townsman; fellow villager; sb from the same hometown |
| 老少 | lǎo shào | the old and the young |
| 老一辈 | lǎo yī bèi | previous generation; older generation |
| 老爷爷 | lǎo yé ye | (informal) father's father's father; paternal great-grandfather |
| 老大娘 | lǎo dà niáng | old lady; Madam (polite address); CL:位 |
| 老太婆 | lǎo tài pó | old woman (at times contemptuous) |
| 老家 | lǎo jiā | native place; place of origin; home state or region |
| 老兄 | lǎo xiōng | 'old chap' (form of address between male friends) |
| 老天爷 | lǎo tiān yé | God; Heavens |
| 老大爷 | lǎo dà yé | uncle; grandpa; CL:位 |
| 二老 | èr lǎo | one's parent (term of respect) |
| 老伴 | lǎo bàn | (of an elderly couple) husband or wife |
| 老远 | lǎo yuǎn | very far away |
| 老是 | lǎo shi | always |
| 老奶奶 | lǎo nǎi nai | (informal) father's father's mother; paternal great-grandmother; respectful form of address for an old woman |
| 纸老虎 | zhǐ lǎo hǔ | paper tiger |
| 老太爷 | lǎo tài yé | elderly gentleman (respectful); esteemed father |
| 老娘 | lǎo niáng | my old mother; I, this old woman; my old lady (colloquial); maternal grandmother; midwife |
| 老路 | lǎo lù | old road; familiar way; beaten track; conventional behavior |
| 老兵 | lǎo bīng | veteran |
| 老老 | lǎo lao | maternal grandmother; same as 姥姥 |
| 老牌 | lǎo pái | old, well-known brand; old style; old school; an old hand; experienced veteran |
| 老一套 | lǎo yī tào | the same old stuff |
| 老早 | lǎo zǎo | a long time ago |
| 父老 | fù lǎo | elders |
