keoi4 lou4劬勞劬劳

Jyutpingkeoi4 lou4

Yalekèuih lòuh

Definition

The hardship and toil of parents raising their children.

writtenfamilypeople

How it's used

This term is rooted in classical Chinese and carries a heavy, formal, and emotional weight. It is rarely used in casual conversation and is instead typically found in written tributes, speeches, or formal expressions of gratitude toward parents. Using it in everyday speech can sound overly dramatic or archaic.

Examples

fu6父mou5母ge3嘅keoi4劬lou4勞，ngo5我dei6哋jat1一sai3世dou1都bou3報daap3答m4唔jyun4完。

We can never fully repay the hardship our parents endured raising us.

nei5你zi1知m4唔zi1知joeng5養daai6大jat1一go3個sai3細lou6路jau5有gei2幾do1多keoi4劬lou4勞aa4呀？

Do you know how much hardship goes into raising a child?

Common phrases

keoi4劬lou4勞zi1之jan1恩

the grace of parental upbringing

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a general word for hard work, but it is specifically reserved for the parental struggle of raising children. It should not be used to describe workplace exhaustion or general physical labor.