Definition

1. Noun:

   • Tuberculosis: An infectious disease, typically affecting the lungs, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
   • Prison, jail: A place of confinement for criminals or prisoners (shortened form of "nhà lao").
   • Javelin, dart: A light spear thrown as a weapon in ancient times or used as a sports implement for throwing.

2. Verb:

   • To hurtle, to plunge, to dash: To move or cause to move with great speed and force in a specific direction.
   • To throw, to hurl: To propel a long, pointed object (like a javelin) with force.
   • To throw oneself into, to devote oneself to: To dedicate all one's energy or attention to an activity.
   • (Specialized, construction) To launch: To place a bridge girder onto its piers and abutments.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Bệnh lao phổi là một bệnh truyền nhiễm nguy hiểm. (Pulmonary tuberculosis is a dangerous infectious disease.)
  • Tên tội phạm bị giam trong lao. (The criminal was imprisoned in jail.)
  • Vận động viên cầm chắc cây lao trước khi phóng. (The athlete firmly gripped the javelin before throwing it.)

• Verb:

  • Chiếc ô tô mất phanh lao xuống dốc. (The brake-failed car hurtled down the slope.)
  • Người lính lao mũi giáo về phía kẻ địch. (The soldier hurled the spear toward the enemy.)
  • Cô ấy lao vào học tập để chuẩn bị cho kỳ thi. (She threw herself into studying to prepare for the exam.)
  • Các kỹ sư đang lao nhịp cầu chính. (The engineers are launching the main bridge span.)

Advanced Usage

• "Lao tâm lao lực": To expend immense mental and physical effort; to toil andmoil.

  • Ông ấy đã lao tâm lao lực cả đời để xây dựng sự nghiệp. (He toiled and moiled his whole life to build his career.)

• "Lao đao": (Adjective) To be in a precarious, unstable, or difficult situation; to be tossed about.

  • Công ty mới thành lập đang trải qua thời kỳ lao đao. (The newly established company is going through a precarious period.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bệnh lao (n): Tuberculosis (the disease).
• Nhà lao (n): Prison, penitentiary (full form).
• Lao lý (n): Prison, imprisonment (literary).
• Lao động (v/n): To labor; labor, work. (Note: This is a compound word where "lao" contributes the meaning of strenuous effort).
• Lao tù (n): Prison, jail (literary).
• Phóng lao (v): To throw a javelin.

Synonyms

• Xông vào (v): To rush into (for "lao vào").
• Phi (v): To fly, to dash (for rapid movement).
• Ném (v): To throw (general).
• Ngục (n): Prison, jail.
• Bệnh phổi (n): Lung disease (context-specific for tuberculosis).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Lao tới: To dash forward, to rush up to.
  • Cậu bé lao tới ôm lấy mẹ. (The boy rushed up to hug his mother.)
• Lao đầu vào: To bury one's head in; to immerse oneself in (often work or study).
  • Anh ấy lao đầu vào công việc để quên đi nỗi buồn. (He buried himself in work to forget his sorrow.)
• Lao ra: To dash out.
  • Nó lao ra khỏi nhà mà không nói lời nào. (He dashed out of the house without a word.)

Related Idioms

• "Lao đao như chong chóng": To be in constant turmoil or difficulty, like a spinning top.
  • Sau trận bão, cuộc sống người dân lao đao như chong chóng. (After the storm, the people's lives were in constant turmoil.)
• "Chạy lao chạy lão": To run around frantically, to be in a hectic rush.
  • Tết đến, ai cũng chạy lao chạy lão để mua sắm. (When Tet comes, everyone runs around frantically shopping.)

noun

1. dart; javelin
   • phóng lao
     javelin throwing. harpoon. jail; prison.
2. (y học) tuberculosis
   • bệnh lao phổi
     tuberculosis of the lungs

verb

1. to hurt; to plunge
   • lao mình xuống nước
     to plunge into the water