劳累

• Pinyin: láo lèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 劳 = 艹 + 冖 + 力 — labor; 累 = 田 (field) + 系 (thread) — tired/accumulate

Meaning

Tired from work; fatigued; worn out. Physical and mental exhaustion from labor.

Describes tiredness specifically from work or exertion, not general tiredness. Often implies overwork or prolonged effort. More formal than 累.

Examples

1. 他工作一天后显得十分劳累。 He looked very tired after working all day.
2. 长期劳累会损害健康。 Long-term overwork can damage one's health.
3. 辛苦了一辈子，该好好休息了。 Having worked hard all your life, it's time to rest well.

Usage Guide

Context: work, health, care

Tone: sympathetic

Do Say

• 你看起来很劳累，要注意休息。(You look tired from work — make sure to rest.)
• 过度劳累会导致疾病。(Overwork can lead to illness.)

Don't Say

• 用劳累形容懒散后的疲劳。(劳累 implies tiredness from work — use 累 for general tiredness)

Origin & History

Compound of 劳 (labor) + 累 (tired). Fatigue caused by labor.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal