Dong Chinese dictionary

láo

prison

pen; fence

Depicts an animal, such as a cow (牛), trapped around an animal's fence (宀).

Components

宀 Iconic component

mián

roof

Originally a pictograph of an animal pen. Later reanalyzed as 宀 (roof).

牛 Iconic component

niú

cow

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

láo

prison; stable, pen; secure; firm; sturdy; fold (for animals); sacrifice

Most common words with 牢

Sources