牢
Character learning workspace

láo · pen, prison, stable

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 3.0 · Level 6Frequency #6012
Watch · inspect · write

Learn every stroke in 牢

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 牢 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Character anatomy

Understand the reusable parts

The decomposition shows how the visual pieces fit together, not necessarily the character’s historical origin.

Writing notes

Shape and proportion

7Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

牛Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 牢 writing sheet

Get a ready-to-use A4 sheet immediately, or open the full builder to change its grid and guidance.

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 牢

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 牢 sits in each complete thought.

Shéngzi bú gòu láo gù, chēng bú zhù tā.绳子不够牢固,撑不住他。

The rope wasn't strong enough to support him.

Source: Tatoeba #813587 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ láo jì cǐ shì.我牢记此事。

I remember it well.

Source: Tatoeba #3658538 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā láo láo dì zhuā zhù le tā de shǒu bì.他牢牢地抓住了她的手臂。

He clutched her arm firmly.

Source: Tatoeba #489537 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Měi rén xīn lǐ dōu yǒu láo sāo.每人心里都有牢骚。

Everyone has something that's troubling him.

Source: Tatoeba #3106250 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wáng yáng bǔ láo.亡羊补牢。

Better late than never.

Source: Tatoeba #414466 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhuāng zhì bèi láo láo dì gù dìng zài tiān huā bǎn shàng.装置被牢牢地固定在天花板上。

The device is attached fast to the ceiling.

Source: Tatoeba #829643 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 牢 in context

  1. Say láo, then recall the core meaning: pen, prison, stable.
  2. Write all 7 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 牢固 (láo gù), meaning “firm”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 牢 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.