古老
gǔlǎo · HSK 5
old
🏛️ 古老 = 古 (ancient) + 老 (old) — two synonyms doubled for emphasis
古 means ancient/past (a skull 口 under ten 十 generations); 老 means old/aged. Stacking two near-synonyms intensifies the meaning, giving 古老 the sense of deeply ancient, like ruins or traditions.
古 — ten 十 + mouth 口
古 is traditionally analyzed as 十 (ten) over 口 (mouth), suggesting words passed down through ten generations — hence 'ancient' or 'old.' Some scholars view the top as a stylized helmet or skull shape in oracle bone forms. The core meaning of 'ancient, old, former times' has remained stable since early Chinese writing.
老 — old man 耂 + 匕 (bent figure)
Originally a pictograph of an elderly person with long hair leaning on a cane. The top 耂 depicts the hair and stooped body, while 匕 at the bottom represents the cane or a bent figure. The core meaning 'old' has remained stable since oracle bone script.