疲劳

• Pinyin: pí láo
• Hanzi breakdown: 疲 = 疒 + 皮 (illness + skin — bodily drain); 劳 = 火 + 冖 + 力 (fire under cover + strength — hard labour generating heat and exhausting energy)

Meaning

Fatigued; tired; weary. Also used technically for physical fatigue, material fatigue, and operational weariness in scientific and engineering contexts.

Has a more scientific and technical register than 疲惫 or 疲倦. Key collocations: 驾驶疲劳 (driver fatigue), 金属疲劳 (metal fatigue), 听觉疲劳 (auditory fatigue), 消除疲劳 (eliminate fatigue), 慢性疲劳 (chronic fatigue). Common in health, engineering, and safety contexts.

Examples

1. 长期过度工作会积累慢性疲劳，损害免疫系统功能，增加罹患多种疾病的风险。 Long-term overwork can build up chronic fatigue, weaken the immune system, and increase the risk of many diseases.
2. 金属疲劳是导致桥梁及航空器结构失效的重要原因之一，必须通过定期检测加以预防。 Metal fatigue is one of the major causes of structural failure in bridges and aircraft, and it must be prevented through regular inspections.
3. 高速公路上的可变情报板会在特定时段发出预警，提醒驾驶员注意防范驾驶疲劳。 Variable message signs on highways issue warnings at certain times, reminding drivers to watch out for fatigue while driving.

Usage Guide

Context: health, medicine, engineering, safety, workplace

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 长途飞行后的时差疲劳往往需要数天才能完全恢复，建议旅客尽量调整作息以适应当地时区。(Jet-lag fatigue after long-haul flights often takes several days to fully recover from; travellers are advised to adjust their sleep schedule to adapt to the local time zone.)
• 汽车制造商正积极研发驾驶疲劳监测系统，通过分析驾驶员的眼部活动和方向盘操作习惯来识别潜在的危险状态。(Automotive manufacturers are actively developing driver fatigue monitoring systems that identify potentially dangerous states by analysing driver eye activity and steering behaviour.)

Don't Say

• 我太疲劳了所以睡不着 — when paradoxical overtiredness prevents sleep, say 我过度疲劳，反而难以入睡; the bare construction 疲劳了所以睡不着 contradicts itself without explanation

Origin & History

疲 (weary, drained) + 劳 (labour, toil) — weariness arising from sustained labour and exertion

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal