労
labor, thank for, reward for, toil, trouble
Readings
On'yomi
- ロウ
Kun'yomi
- ろう.する
- いたわ.る
- いた.ずき
- ねぎら
- つか.れる
- ねぎら.う
Meaning
労 centers on effort and its consequences: physical or mental labor, toil, and trouble, as well as the appreciation or reward given for that effort.
Most common words using 労
24 of 343- 労働ろうどうN3
labor; labour; work
- 苦労くろうN3
trouble; hardship; difficulty; labour; labor; toil; pains
- 疲労ひろうN2
fatigue; weariness; exhaustion; tiredness
- 労働省ろうどうしょう
Ministry of Labour (now Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
- 労ろう
labor; labour; toil; trouble; pains; work; effort; striving
- 労力ろうりょくN1
labour; labor; effort; toil; trouble
- 過労かろうN1
overwork; strain
- 就労しゅうろう
working; being employed; being hired
- 労災ろうさい
work-related injury; work-related illness; work-related death; on-the-job accident
- 労組ろうそ
labor union; labour union; trade union
- 勤労きんろうN1
labor; labour; exertion; diligent service
- 労働党ろうどうとう
Labour Party; Labor Party
- 労務ろうむ
labor; labour; work; service
- 労使ろうし
labour and management; labor and management
- 功労こうろう
meritorious deed; services
- 心労しんろう
anxiety; worry; fear
- 労連ろうれん
labour union; labor union
- 労るいたわるN1
to pity; to sympathize with; to sympathise with; to treat with sympathy; to console; to be kind to
- 徒労とろう
fruitless effort; wasted effort; abortive scheme; futility
- 労相ろうしょう
Labor Minister
- ご苦労様ごくろうさまN2
thank you (for your hard work); I appreciate your efforts
- 労作ろうさく
toil; labor; labour; laborious task
- 労働者ろうどうしゃN1
worker
- 労働組合ろうどうくみあいN2
labor union; labour union; trade union
Study
Etymology
労 is the modern simplified form of 勞. The older form combines 力 (strength) with 熒 (a compound suggesting effort or exertion), conveying the idea of labor or toil. The modern form retains 力 and simplifies the upper part to ⺌ and 冖.
Meaning mnemonic
The top ⺌ and 冖 look like a heavy load pressing down, and 力 at the bottom is strength. Picture someone straining under a burden, putting in hard labor.
Reading mnemonic
For ロウ, imagine a row of workers toiling together: row -> ロウ, and their combined effort is labor.