Word: 老 (lǎo)

一根老牛筋,蒸不熟煮不烂

yìgēn lǎo niújīn,zhēng bù shú zhǔ bú làn

a piece of old ox tendon: steaming won't cook it, boiling won't soften it

一百个小和尚好认一个老和尚，一个老和尚难认一百个小和尚

yìbǎigè xiǎo héshang hǎo rèn yí gè lǎo héshang, yí gè lǎo héshang nán rèn yìbǎigè xiǎo héshang

a hundred young monks can easily know one old monk, but one old monk can hardly know a hundred young monks

一辈子不出马，到老是个卒

yíbèizi bù chūmǎ, dào lǎo shì gè zú

never move the knight all your life and you stay a pawn to the end

七八月的南瓜，皮老心不老

qībā yuè de nánguā, pí lǎo xīn bù lǎo

pumpkins in the seventh and eighth months: the skin is old but the heart isn't

七岁看大，八岁看老

qī suì kàn dà, bā suì kàn lǎo

at seven see the adult, at eight see the old age

三岁看大,七岁看老

sān suì kàn dà,qī suì kàn lǎo

at three see the grown-up, at seven see the old man

三餐莫过饱,无病活到老

sāncān mò guò bǎo,wú bìng huó dào lǎo

don't overeat at the three meals and you'll live to old age without illness

下午公司请老员工来座谈。

Xiàwǔ gōngsī qǐng lǎo yuángōng lái zuòtán.

This afternoon the company is inviting long-serving employees for an informal discussion.

不怕人老，就怕心老

búpà rén lǎo, jiù pà xīn lǎo

don't fear the person aging, fear the heart aging

不管一个人有多老，他都能学习。

Bùguǎn yí gè rén yǒu duō lǎo, tā dōu néng xuéxí.

No matter how old one may be, one can learn.

两位老教授是君子之交。

Liǎng wèi lǎo jiàoshòu shì jūnzǐzhījiāo.

The two old professors have a pure, gentlemanly friendship.

为老不正，带坏子孙

wéi lǎo bú zhèng, dàihuài zǐsūn

if the old are not upright, they lead their descendants astray

人怕老来病

rén pà lǎo lái bìng

people fear illness in old age

人老不以筋骨为能

rén lǎo bù yǐ jīngǔ wéi néng

when old, don't take sinews and bones as your ability

人老不算老，心老才算老

rén lǎo búsuàn lǎo, xīn lǎo cái suàn lǎo

being old in body doesn't count as old; only an old heart counts as old

人老了以后，记忆力会慢慢衰退。

Rén lǎole yǐhòu, jìyìlì huì mànmàn shuāituì.

When people get old, their memory slowly declines.

人老了，记忆力会慢慢衰退。

Rén lǎole, jìyìlì huì mànmàn shuāituì.

When people get old, their memory slowly declines.

人老怕松，树老怕空

rén lǎo pà sōng, shù lǎo pà kōng

old people fear slackening, old trees fear hollowness

人老精，姜老辣

rén lǎo jīng, Jiāng lǎolà

the older the person the sharper; the older the ginger the hotter

从小看大,三岁看老

cóngxiǎo kàn dà,sān suì kàn lǎo

from small see big; at three see old age

他不算老得做不了。

Tā búsuàn lǎo de zuò bù liǎo.

He is not too old to do it.

他仍眷恋家乡的老房子。

Tā réng juànliàn jiāxiāng de lǎo fángzi.

He still misses the old house in his hometown.

他们不想变老。

Tāmen bùxiǎng biàn lǎo.

They don't want to grow old.

他们说我是老女人。

Tāmen shuō wǒ shì lǎo nǚrén.

They say that I'm an old woman.

他住了三十年，可谓老北京了。

Tā zhùle sānshí nián, kěwèi lǎo Běijīng le.

He has lived here thirty years, so you could call him a real old Beijinger.

他在学校老是被人欺负。

Tā zài xuéxiào lǎo shì bèi rén qīfu.

He always gets bullied at school.

他媳妇是我的老同学。

Tā xífu shì wǒ de lǎo tóngxué.

His wife is an old classmate of mine.

他对这座老房子有深厚的情感。

Tā duì zhè zuò lǎo fángzi yǒu shēnhòu de qínggǎn.

He has deep feelings for this old house.

他来上海开会，顺便看了看老同学。

Tā lái Shànghǎi kāihuì, shùnbiàn kànle kàn lǎo tóngxué.

He came to Shanghai for a meeting and visited an old classmate while he was there.

他爷爷是一位老华侨。

Tā yéye shì yí wèi lǎo huáqiáo.

His grandfather is an elderly overseas Chinese.

传说那棵老树成了精。

Chuánshuō nà kē lǎo shù chéng le jīng.

Legend has it that the old tree became a spirit.

你们为什么老打架？

Nǐmen wèishénme lǎo dǎjià?

Why do you guys always fight?

你别老使唤我做事！

Nǐ bié lǎo shǐhuan wǒ zuòshì!

Stop always ordering me around!

你别老宅着，出去走走吧！

Nǐ bié lǎo zhái zhe, chūqù zǒu zǒu ba!

Don't stay cooped up at home all the time, go out for a walk!

你别老这样！

Nǐ bié lǎo zhèyàng!

Don't always be like this!

你变得又老又倔。

Nǐ biànde yòu lǎo yòu juè.

You've become old and stubborn.

你太老了，做不得这种事了。

Nǐ tài lǎole, zuò bùdé zhèzhǒng shì le.

You're too old to be doing this kind of thing.

你有千般计，我有老主意

nǐ yǒu qiānbān jì, wǒ yǒu lǎo zhǔyi

you have a thousand schemes, I have my old plan

你永远不会太老而不能学习。

Nǐ yǒngyuǎn búhuì tài lǎo ér bùnéng xuéxí.

You will never be too old to learn.

你看过那位老演员的回忆录吗？

Nǐ kànguo nà wèi lǎo yǎnyuán de huíyìlù ma?

Have you read that old actor's memoir?

你读过那位老校长的回忆录吗？

Nǐ dúguo nà wèi lǎo xiàozhǎng de huíyìlù ma?

Have you read that old principal's memoir?

儿时练功易，老来学艺难

érshí liàngōng yì, lǎo lái xuéyì nán

practising skills is easy in childhood, learning a craft is hard in old age

八月的柿子，越老越红

bāyuè de shìzi, yuè lǎo yuè hóng

persimmons in the eighth month: the older, the redder

几位老同事相继退休了。

Jǐ wèi lǎo tóngshì xiāngjì tuìxiūle.

Several of the older colleagues retired one after another.

别老依赖别人。

Bié lǎo yīlài biéren.

Don't rely too much on others.

博物馆展出了很多老照片。

Bówùguǎn zhǎnchūle hěn duō lǎo zhàopiān.

The museum exhibited a lot of old photos.

博物馆里有很多近代的老照片。

Bówùguǎn lǐ yǒu hěn duō jìndài de lǎo zhàopiān.

The museum has many old photographs from modern times.

吕洞宾买药，难住老的难不住小的

Lǚ Dòngbīn mǎi yào, nánzhù lǎo de nán búzhù xiǎo de

Lü Dongbin buys medicine: it stumps the old man but not the young girl

听说这部老电视剧要翻拍了。

Tīngshuō zhè bù lǎo diànshìjù yào fānpāile.

I heard this old TV series is going to be remade.

喜鹊尾巴,老翘着

xǐquè wěiba,lǎo qiàozhe

a magpie's tail: always sticking up

在火车上遇到老同学，真是缘分！

Zài huǒchē shàng yùdào lǎo tóngxué, zhēnshi yuánfèn!

Running into an old classmate on the train was such a stroke of fate!

城中心耸立着一座老钟楼。

Chéng zhōngxīn sǒnglìzhe yí zuò lǎo zhōnglóu.

An old clock tower rises high in the city center.

城吃镇，镇吃乡，乡人吃到老荒庄

chéng chī zhèn, zhèn chī xiāng, xiāng rén chī dào lǎo huāng zhuāng

the city feeds off the town, the town off the countryside, and country folk end up feeding off the barren village

外婆送了我一本老画册。

Wàipó sòngle wǒ yìběn lǎo huàcè.

My grandmother gave me an old picture album.

大不欺小，壮不欺老

dà bù qī xiǎo, zhuàng bù qī lǎo

the big don't bully the small, the strong don't bully the old

太公钓渭水，走老运

tàigōng diào Wèishuǐ, zǒu lǎo yùn

Grand Duke Jiang fishes in the Wei River: his luck comes in old age

奶奶常给孙子转述老故事。

Nǎinai cháng gěi sūnzi zhuǎnshù lǎo gùshi.

Grandma often retells old stories to her grandson.

她不得不和这个老男人结婚。

Tā bùdébù hé zhège lǎo nánrén jiéhūn.

She was obliged to marry the old man.

她出国后，和老同学绝缘了。

Tā chūguó hòu, hé lǎo tóngxué juéyuán le.

After she went abroad, she had no more contact with her old classmates.

她又老又病。

Tā yòu lǎo yòu bìng.

She was very old and ill.

她嫁给了一个富有的老男人。

Tā jià gěi le yí gè fùyǒu de lǎo nánrén.

She married a rich old man.

她珍藏了很多老照片。

Tā zhēncáng le hěn duō lǎo zhàopiān.

She treasures and keeps a lot of old photos.

妈妈比爸爸老。

Māma bǐ bàba lǎo.

Mom is older than Dad.

娘家住不老，亲戚饭吃不饱

niángjiā zhù bù lǎo, qīnqi fàn chī bù bǎo

you can't stay in your parents' home until old, you can't eat your fill at a relative's table

嫩姜没有老姜辣

nèn Jiāng méiyǒu Lǎo Jiāng là

young ginger isn't as hot as old ginger

家有一老，黄金活宝

jiā yǒu yì lǎo, huángjīn huóbǎo

an old person in the home is a living treasure of gold

导游在讲解这座老桥。

Dǎoyóu zài jiǎngjiě zhè zuò lǎo qiáo.

The tour guide is explaining about this old bridge.

少不癫狂老不板

shào bù diānkuáng lǎo bù bǎn

when young, don't be flighty; when old, don't be rigid

少年不知勤学苦，老来方知读书迟

shàonián bùzhī qínxué kǔ, lǎo lái fāngzhī dúshū chí

in youth one doesn't know the hardship of diligent study; only in old age does one know reading started late

属犁铧的，老往一面翻土

shǔ líhuá de, lǎo wǎng yímiàn fān tǔ

born a ploughshare: always turns the soil to one side

山脚下有一家老客栈。

Shān jiǎoxià yǒu yìjiā lǎo kèzhàn.

There is an old inn at the foot of the mountain.

年幼贪玩儿，老来提篮儿

niányòu tānwánr, lǎo lái tílánr

play too much when young, carry a basket (to beg) when old

恼一恼，老一老；笑一笑，少一少

nǎo yì nǎo, lǎo yì lǎo; xiào yí xiào, shào yí shào

get angry once, age once; laugh once, grow younger once

我们要活到老，做到老。

Wǒmen yào huó dào lǎo, zuòdào lǎo.

We must work as long as we live.

我会活到老工作到老。

Wǒ huì huó dào lǎo gōngzuò dào lǎo.

I'll work as long as I live.

我厌倦了他的老笑话。

Wǒ yànjuànle tā de lǎo xiàohua.

I was bored with his old jokes.

我变老了，是吗？

Wǒ biàn lǎole, shì ma?

I've gotten older, right?

我和老同事保持着君子之交。

Wǒ hé lǎo tóngshì bǎochízhe jūnzǐzhījiāo.

My old colleague and I keep up a pure, undemanding friendship.

我家住在一条老胡同里。

Wǒjiā zhù zài yìtiáo lǎo hútòng lǐ.

My family lives in an old alley.

我对这个世界来说太老了。

Wǒ duì zhège shìjiè lái shuō tài lǎole.

I am too old for this world.

我对这座老城市有深厚的感情。

Wǒ duì zhè zuò lǎo chéngshì yǒu shēnhòu de gǎnqíng.

I have a deep attachment to this old city.

我开始变老了！

Wǒ kāishǐ biàn lǎole!

I'm starting to get old!

我打的这辆出租车很老，也很小。

Wǒ dǎ de zhè liàng chūzūchē hěn lǎo, yě hěn xiǎo.

The taxi I took was very old and small.

我最近老是没碰见你。

Wǒ zuìjìn lǎo shì méi pèngjiàn nǐ.

I haven't bumped into you recently.

我最近老是见到他。

Wǒ zuìjìn lǎo shì jiàndào tā.

I have seen much of him lately.

我有幸见到了那位老教授。

Wǒ yǒuxìng jiàndàole nà wèi lǎo jiàoshòu.

I was fortunate enough to meet that old professor.

我有幸见过那位老作家。

Wǒ yǒuxìng jiànguo nà wèi lǎo zuòjiā.

I was fortunate enough to meet that old writer.

我有辆老旧的车。

Wǒ yǒu liàng lǎo jiù de chē.

I have an old car.

我校校长很老了。

Wǒ xiào xiàozhǎng hěn lǎole.

Our school's principal is very old.

我父亲变老了。

Wǒ fùqīn biàn lǎole.

My father grew old.

我父母还不老。

Wǒ fùmǔ hái bù lǎo.

My parents aren't old yet.

我爷爷的老同学成了院士。

Wǒ yéye de lǎo tóngxué chéng le yuànshì.

My grandfather's old classmate became an academician.

我爸爸变老了。

Wǒ bàba biàn lǎole.

My father became old.

我现在老了，走不动了。

Wǒ xiànzài lǎole, zǒu bú dòngle.

Now I am too old to walk.

我祖母很老了。

Wǒ zǔmǔ hěn lǎole.

My grandmother is very old.

我要是老了你还会爱我吗？

Wǒ yàoshi lǎole nǐ hái huì ài wǒ ma?

Will you still love me when I'm old?

打足了气的皮球,一蹦老高

dǎ zúle qì de píqiú,yí bèng lǎo gāo

a fully pumped-up rubber ball: it bounces very high

拆迁以后，老人们搬到哪里住？

Chāiqiān yǐhòu, lǎo rénmen bān dào nǎlǐ zhù?

After the demolition, where will the elderly residents move to live?

按住电铃不抬手，老是响

àn zhù diànlíng bù táishǒu, lǎo shì xiǎng

Pressing the doorbell and not lifting your hand: it keeps ringing

揭底就怕老乡亲

jiēdǐ jiù pà lǎo xiāngqīn

when exposing someone's background, the thing to fear is fellow villagers