# 老子
## Chinese

* 老子 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 老子 (書) (Written Standard Chinese)
* Laozi (English)
* Tao Te Ching (English)

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): Lǎozǐ
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄗˇ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ zi$^2$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): Ló-chṳ́
* Eastern Min (BUC): Lō̤-cṳ̄
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): Nó͘-chú / Ló-chú
    (Teochew, Peng'im): lao$^6$ ze$^2$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: Lǎozǐ [Phonetic: láozǐ]
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄗˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: Lǎozǐh
*** Wade–Giles: Lao$^3$-tzŭ$^3$
*** Yale: Lǎu-dž
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Laotzyy
*** Palladius: Лаоцзы (Laoczy)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ zi$^2$
*** Yale: lóuh jí
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ dzi$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ ji$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ t͡siː³⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Ló-chṳ́
*** Hakka Romanization System: lo$^ˋ$ zii$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: lo$^3$ zi$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /lo³¹ t͡sɨ³¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: Lō̤-cṳ̄
*** Sinological IPA : /l̃o³³⁻³⁵ $^{(t͡s-)}$ʒy³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Nó͘-chú
*** Tâi-lô: Nóo-tsú
*** Phofsit Daibuun: nofzuo
*** IPA (Taipei): /nɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡su⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /nɔ̃⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡su⁴¹/
** (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ló-chú
*** Tâi-lô: Ló-tsú
*** Phofsit Daibuun: loyzuo
*** IPA (Taipei): /lo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡su⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡su⁴¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: lao$^6$ ze$^2$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lău tsṳ́
*** Sinological IPA : /lau³⁵⁻¹¹ t͡sɯ⁵²/
* Middle Chinese: lawX tsiX
Rime :
| Character | 老 | 子 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 來 (37) | 精 (13) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) | 之 (19) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | III |
| Fanqie | 盧晧切 | 即里切 |
| Baxter | lawX | tsiX |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sie$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /law$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡siə$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sĭə$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡si$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | lǎo | zǐ |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | lou$^5$ | zi$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*C.rˤuʔ tsəʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*ruːʔ ʔslɯʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 老 | 子 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | lǎo | zǐ |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ law$^X$ › | ‹ tsi$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*C.rˁuʔ/ | /*tsəʔ/ |
| English | old | child; gentleman, master |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 老 | 子 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| No. | 7666 | 17857 |
| Phonetic component | 老 | 子 |
| Rime group | 幽 | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 老 | 子 |
| Old Chinese | /*ruːʔ/ | /*ʔslɯʔ/ |

#### Proper noun

老子
* Laozi (604–531 BCE), a Chinese philosopher, and founder of Taoism
* Laozi (also called Tao Te Ching, a book of philosophy supposedly written by Laozi)

##### Descendants

* → Japanese: 老(ろう)子(し) (rōshi)
* → Korean: 로자(老子) (roja), 노자(老子) (noja)
* → Vietnamese: Lão Tử (老子)

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎozi
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ˙ㄗ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ zi$^2$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): láu-chú / láu-chír
* Xiang (Hengyang, Wiktionary): lau$^2$ zr
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎozi
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ˙ㄗ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎozi̊h
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-tzŭ$^5$
*** Yale: lǎu-dz
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lao.tzy
*** Palladius: лаоцзы (laoczy)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴ d͡z̥z̩⁴/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ zi$^2$
*** Yale: lóuh jí
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ dzi$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ ji$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ t͡siː³⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-chú
*** Tâi-lô: láu-tsú
*** Phofsit Daibuun: lawzuo
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡su⁵³/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-chír
*** Tâi-lô: láu-tsír
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /lau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sɯ⁵⁵⁴/
* Xiang
** (Hengyang)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^2$ zr
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯¹¹ t͡sz̩³/
* Middle Chinese: lawX tsiX
Rime :
| Character | 老 | 子 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 來 (37) | 精 (13) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) | 之 (19) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | III |
| Fanqie | 盧晧切 | 即里切 |
| Baxter | lawX | tsiX |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sie$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /law$^X$/ | /t͡sɨ$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡siə$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡sĭə$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /lɑu$^X$/ | /t͡si$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | lǎo | zǐ |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | lou$^5$ | zi$^2$ |

#### Pronoun

老子
* (colloquial, chiefly men's speech, sometimes humorous) I; me
       Lǎozi cái bù pà lǎobǎn ne. [Pinyin]
       I'm not afraid of the boss.
    From: c. 12th century, Xin Qiji (辛棄疾). Admonitions to the Goblet on the Occasion of My Determination to Stay Sober (《沁園春·將止酒戒酒杯使勿近》)
    Bēi, rǔ lái qián. Lǎozi jīnzhāo, diǎnjiǎn xínghái. [Pinyin]
    Come forth, ye goblet. Listen: from now on, I care for myself.
    From: Hu Shih (胡適). Mother's Teachings (《母親的教誨》)
    Niáng shènme? Lǎozi dōu bù lǎozi le. [Pinyin]
    Mom what? My dad can't give control over me now. (an example showing two different meanings of this word)

##### Usage notes

When 老子 (lǎozi) is used this way, it often gives off an arrogant, angry, childish or humorous tone. Compare Japanese おれさま.

##### Synonyms

* 爺／爷 (yé)
* (Southwest Mandarin) 勞資／劳资 (láozī)
* (Min Nan) 恁爸 (lín-pē); (Taiwanese Mandarin) 林北 (línběi)

##### Coordinate terms

* 老娘 (lǎoniáng)

#### Noun

老子
* old man
* (slang) father; old man
    From: Hu Shih (胡適). Mother's Teachings (《母親的教誨》)
    Niáng shènme? Lǎozi dōu bù lǎozi le. [Pinyin]
    Mom what? My dad can't give control over me now. (an example showing two different meanings of this word)
* (dated or regional) son; young man (i.e. a mother scolding her son)
    From: 1918, Lu Xun, A Madman's Diary
    Zuì qíguài de shì zuótiān jiē shàng de nàge nǚrén, dǎ tā érzǐ, zuǐ lǐ shuōdào: “Lǎozi ya! Wǒ yào yǎo nǐ jǐ kǒu cái chūqì!” Tā yǎnjīng què kàn zhe wǒ. [Pinyin]
    The strangest was a woman on the street yesterday. She was hitting her son. From her mouth, I heard her say, "Young man! I'd like to take a few bites out of you just to vent my anger!" Yet, her eyes were fixed on me.

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 父, 爺, 嚴 honorific |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 父親 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 爸爸, 爸, 爹, 父親, 老頭兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 爸爸, 爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chengde | 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Heihe | 父親, 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Qiqihar | 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 爸爸, 爸, 爹, 父親 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Jiamusi | 父親, 爸爸 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Baicheng | 父親, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Changchun | 爸爸, 爸, 爹 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Tonghua | 爸爸, 爹 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 爸爸, 父親, 爹, 阿瑪 dated, Manchus |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Jinzhou | 父親, 爸爸, 爸, 爹 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 爸爸, 爸, 爹哋 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 爸爸, 爸, 老爸 <> |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 爸爸, 老爸, 爹 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 父親, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 爸爸, 爹, 伯 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 爸爸 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 爸爸, 爹 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Lijin | 爹 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 爸爸, 爹, 大 Hui, 大大 Hui |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Dalian | 爸爸 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Dandong | 父親, 爸爸, 爸, 爹 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai | 爹 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 爹, 爸爸 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 爸爸, 爹 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Zhucheng | 大大, 爺, 爸爸 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 爹, 爸爸 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Lingbao | 爹, 大 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Jining | 爸爸, 大 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 爸, 爹 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Linfen | 爸 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Shangqiu | 爸爸, 爹, 大 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Yuanyang | 父親, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 爹, 伯, 達 Hui or suburbs |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xinyang | 爸 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Baihe | 父親, 爹, 爸爸 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 爸, 爸爸, 達 Hui |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Baoji | 父親, 爸, 爹, 伯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Tianshui | 爸爸, 大 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 阿達, 達達, 爹 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Yanqi | 爹, 達達 Hui, 阿達 Hui, 老爹 <> |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 答答, 爸爸, 父親 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Fuyang | 父親, 爹, 爸爸, 爸, 大大, 大 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 達達, 達, 阿達 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 爹, 爸爸, 父親 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 爹, 爸爸, 老子 <>, 老爹 <>, 父親 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Dunhuang | 大大, 爸, 爹爹 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Hami | 大大 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 爸爸, 爹, 爹爹, 達, 達達, 阿達 Hui, 先人 <>, 老爹 <>, 達當子 <> |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 爸爸, 爸, 老頭兒 <>, 老把子 <>, 老漢兒 <> |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Nanchong | 父親, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dazhou | 爸爸, 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Hanyuan | 父親, 爸爸, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xichang | 父親, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zigong | 父親, 大大, 爺, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 老漢兒, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 爸爸, 爹 dated, 伯伯 <>, dated, 老子 <>, 老頭 <>, 點頭磕 <>, dated, 父老二 <>, dated, casual, 八叉 <>, dated, slang, 父親 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xiangyang | 父親, 爸爸, 伯伯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Tianmen | 父親, 爸爸, 爹, 大大 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 爸爸, 爹 dated, 老爹 <>, 老者 <>, 老者者 <> |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zunyi | 爹, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Bijie | 爸爸, 老伯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liping | 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zhaotong | 爸爸, 爺爺, 大爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dali | 阿爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 爸爸, 父親, 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mengzi | 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 爸, 阿爸, 爹, 老爹 <>, 爹老 <>, 爺老 <>, 老頭子 <> |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Jishou | 父親, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Changde | 爹 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Hanzhong | 父親, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Salong (Lancang) | 阿爸, 阿爹, 爸爸 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Sai (Tengchong) | 爸, 爹, 爺 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 爹, 爸爸, 伯伯, 爹爹 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 爸爸, 爹爹, 老子 <>, 父親 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Lianyungang | 父親, 爸爸, 大大 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Lianshui | 父親, 爺 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 父, 父啊, 爸, 爸爸, 爺 <> |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Anqing | 父親, 爸爸, 伯伯, 大大 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Wuhu | 爸爸, 大大 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 伯伯, 爺 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Huanggang | 伯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hong'an | 父親, 父, 爸爸, 伯伯, 伯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 阿爸, 爸爸, 爹哋, 老豆 <>, 伯爺 <> |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 阿爸, 爸爸, 爸, 爹哋, 爸B, 老豆 <>, 伯爺 <> |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 爹, 阿爸 <>, 爸 <> |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 爸爸 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 阿爸, 爹哋, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Xinjiao, Haizhu) | 爸爸, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Longxi, Liwan) | 阿叔, 阿爸, 阿大 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huangpu) | 阿叔, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Xinshi, Baiyun) | 阿叔, 阿爸, 阿大, 阿伯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Shijing, Baiyun) | 阿叔, 阿爸, 阿哥 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Jiangcun, Baiyun) | 阿叔, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Longgui, Baiyun) | 阿叔, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Renhe, Baiyun) | 阿叔 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zhuliao, Baiyun) | 阿叔, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zhongluotan, Baiyun) | 阿叔 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Jiufo, Huangpu) | 阿叔, 阿哥 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 爸爸, 阿叔 dated, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 阿叔, 阿伯, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 阿哥, 阿叔, 奶公, 阿爺, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 阿叔, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 阿爹, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 阿爸, 阿爹, 老豆 <>, 伯爺 <>, dated |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 阿爸, 老子 <>, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Huancheng) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Nanlang) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Xiaolan) | 阿爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Dongsheng, Xiaolan) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Tanbei, Xiaolan) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Henglan) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Dongfeng) | 阿爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Nantou) | 阿爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Fusha) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shalang) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Gangkou) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Huangpu) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Sanjiao) | 阿大, 爸爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Langwang, Minzhong) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Minzhong) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Guzhen) | 阿爹 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Banfu) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Tanzhou) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 阿爸, 阿爹, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 阿爸, 阿爹, 阿爺, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 阿爹, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 阿爹, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 阿爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 阿爸, 阿叔, 老豆 <>, 爸爸 childish, 爹哋 childish, 爸B childish, 阿大 rare, 老子 <> |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 老豆, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 老豆, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 阿爸, 阿爹 <>, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 老豆, 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang | 阿爸, 老豆, 爸爸 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang (Cheban) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Wuchuan (Wuyang) | 阿爸 |
| Cantonese | Wuchuan (Meilu) | 老豆 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 阿爸, 爸, 老豆, 老嘢 <> |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Lianzhou) | 爸爸, 阿叔, 叔公, 阿哥, 俺老子 <>, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Shatian) | 爸爸, 阿公, 俺公 <> |
| Cantonese | Beihai | 爸爸, 阿叔, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Nankang) | 爸爸, 阿叔, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Yingpan) | 阿爸, 阿叔, 阿哥, 老豆 <> |
| Cantonese | Danzhou | 爺 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 老豆, 阿爸, 爹哋, 老頭子 <> |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 老豆 <> |
| Gan | Nanchang | 爸爸, 爺, 老子 <>, 爺老子 <> |
| Gan | Lichuan | 爺, 伯伯, 家父 <> |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 爺爺, 爹爹, 爸爸, 爺老子 <> |
| Hakka | Meixian | 阿爸, 爺仔 <> |
| Hakka | Xingning | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 老豆 <> |
| Hakka | Huiyang | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 阿爸, 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 阿爸, 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 阿爸, 爺子 <> |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 阿爺, 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Meilin) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Heyuan (Bendihua) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Wengyuan | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Liannan | 爸 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 阿爸, 父親 <> |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 爺 |
| Hakka | Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Changting | 爹爹, 哥哥, 爹哩 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 阿哥, 伯 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Yanqian) | 爺哩 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 爸 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 伯 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 哥哥, 爹 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 爸爸, 爺老 <> |
| Hakka | Ningdu | 爹 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 爹爹, 爹子 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 爹, 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Tonggu (Sandu) | 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Ganzhou (Panlong) | 爸爸 |
| Hakka | Dayu | 爸爸, 爺爺 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 阿爸, 爺仔 <> |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 阿爸, 爺仔 <> |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 阿爸, 爺仔 <> |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 阿爸, 爺仔 <> |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 阿怙, 阿爺 <> |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Yangxi (Tangkou) | 老子 |
| Hakka | Yangchun (Sanjia) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Xinyi (Sihe) | 阿爸, 老子 |
| Hakka | Xinyi (Qianpai) | 阿爸, 老豆 |
| Hakka | Gaozhou (Xindong) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai) | 阿叔, 阿爹, 阿哥, 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Huazhou (Xin'an) | 老子 |
| Hakka | Lianjiang (Shijiao) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Lianjiang (Qingping) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Mengshan (Xihe) | 爸, 哥 |
| Hakka | Luchuan | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 阿爸 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 阿爸 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 伯伯, 爹, 老子 <> |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 伯, 爺, 相, 爸爸, 大 |
| Huizhou | Huangshan (Tunxi) | 爹, 爺, 爸 |
| Huizhou | Xiuning | 爺, 阿爺 |
| Huizhou | Yixian | 爹爹, 爸爸, 官人 |
| Huizhou | Qimen | 爺兒, 伯兒 |
| Huizhou | Wuyuan | 爸爸, 爺 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 爸爸, 大大, 大, 爹, 老子 <> |
| Jin | Pingyao | 爹 |
| Jin | Yangyuan | 父親, 爹, 爸爸, 爸 |
| Jin | Datong | 父親, 爸爸, 爹 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 大大, 大 |
| Jin | Lüliang (Lishi) | 父親, 爸爸, 爹, 老子 |
| Jin | Changzhi | 爸爸, 爹 |
| Jin | Linhe | 父親, 爸爸, 大, 老子 |
| Jin | Jining | 爸爸, 大 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 父親, 爸爸, 大, 老子 |
| Jin | Erenhot | 父親, 爸爸, 大 |
| Jin | Pingshan | 爹 |
| Jin | Zhangjiakou | 父親, 爸爸, 爸, 爹, 大 |
| Jin | Handan | 父親, 爹 |
| Jin | Linzhou | 爹 |
| Jin | Suide | 爸爸, 老子 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 爸爸, 爺爺 dated, 爹 <> |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 依爹, 依爸, 依爺 dated, 郎爸 <> |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 爸, 爸爸, 官, 阿伯, 阿哥, 阿叔 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 依爹 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 爸爸 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 阿爸, 阿叔 euphemistic, 老爸 <>, 老的 <>, 娘爸 <>, dated |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 老爸 <>, 俺爸 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 阿爸, 阿叔 euphemistic, 老爸 <>, 老的 <> |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 阿爸, 阿官, 阿叔 euphemistic, 老爸 <>, 老的 <>, 娘爸 <>, dated |
| Southern Min | Pinghe | 娘爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 爸, 老大 <>, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 爸爸, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 老歲仔, 老的, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 爸爸, 阿丈, 阿爸, 阿將, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 阿丈, 阿叔, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 阿府, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 爸爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 多桑, 爸爸, 阿叔, 阿爸, 俺二仔, 俺爹, 俺爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 阿爹, 爸爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 俺爹, 俺爸 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 阿爸, 爹, 二仔, 爸爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 阿爸, 爸, 爸爸, 老爸 <>, 爹 <>, 老的 <> |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 爸, 爸爸, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 爸爸, 爸, 阿爸, 老爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 阿爸, 阿爹, 阿父 <>, 父 <> |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 阿爸, 阿父 <>, 父 <>, 大人 <>, honorific |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 阿爸, 父 <>, 大人 <>, honorific |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 阿爸, 阿父, 阿爹 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 爸, 爸爸, 阿爸, 父, 爹 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 阿爸, 爸爸, 阿父 <>, 爸 <> |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 阿父, 父 <>, 老父 <> |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 阿父 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 爸, 兄 dated, 阿 dated, 尼父 <>, 父 <>, 尼阿 <>, dated |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 阿爹, 阿兄, 阿官, 阿爸, 爸 <> |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 阿爸, 郎爸 <> |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 郎爸 <> |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 爸爸, 爹, 老子 <> |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 爸, 數字, 數老, 阿叔 dated, 老子 <> |
| Wu | Shanghai | 爸爸, 老爸, 爹爹 dated, 阿伯 dated |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 爹爹, 阿爹 uncommon, 爺, 爺爺 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 爹爹 |
| Wu | Danyang | 爹爹, 爹, 爸爸 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 爹, 阿伯, 爸爸, 老子 <> |
| Wu | Ningbo | 阿伯, 爸爸, 爹 <>, 阿爹 <>, 老頭子 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 阿爸, 阿伯, 阿大 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 伯伯, 爹爹, 爸爸 |
| Wu | Jinhua (Tangxi) | 伯 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 爹爹, 爺爺, 爺, 爺老倌 <>, 爺老子 <> |
| Xiang | Loudi | 爹爹, 爺老倌 <>, 爺老子 <>, 爺 <>, 老人家 <> |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 爹爹, 爺 |
| Xiang | Hengyang | 爸爸 new-style, 爹爹 old style, 爺老子 <>, 爺 <>, 爺老倌子 <>, 老子 <> |
| Xiangnan Tuhua | Jiangyong | 大, 爹爹, 爸爸, 爺子 <>, 大子 <> |
| Note | <> - non-face-to-face | <> - non-face-to-face |

## Japanese
### Etymology 1

Kanji in this term :
| 老 | 子 |
| ろう Grade: 4 | し Grade: 1 |
| on'yomi ||
From Middle Chinese 老子 (MC lawX tsiX).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) ろーし [ròóshí] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [ɾo̞ːɕi]

#### Proper noun

老(ろう)子(し) • (Rōshi)
* Laozi
* the works of Laozi: synonym of 老子道徳経 (Rōshi Dōtokukyō, “Tao Te Ching”)

##### Usage notes

The Tao Te Ching is known in Japanese by three possible names:
* 老子道徳経 (Rōshi Dōtokukyō, literally “Laozi Tao Te Ching”)
* 老子 (Rōshi, literally “Laozi”)
* 道徳経 (Dōtokukyō, literally “Tao Te Ching”)

##### See also

* 諸(しょ)子(し)百(ひゃっ)家(か) (Shoshi Hyakka)

### Etymology 2

Kanji in this term :
| 老 | 子 |
| ろう Grade: 4 | し Grade: 1 |
| on'yomi ||
From Middle Chinese 老子 (MC lawX tsiX), based on the literal meanings of the characters 老 (“old; an elder”) + 子 (diminutive suffix).
First attested in this use in a text from 1694.

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) ろーし [róꜜòshì] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [ɾo̞ːɕi]

#### Pronoun

老(ろう)子(し) • (rōshi)
* [from 1694] (archaic) you (addressing an elderly person)

### Etymology 3

Kanji in this term :
| 老 | 子 |
| お(い) Grade: 4 | こ > ご Grade: 1 |
| kun'yomi ||
For pronunciation and definitions of 老子 – see the following entry. :
| 【老おい子ご】 | [noun] [from late 1000s] (archaic) a child of older parents |
(This term, 老子, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

### References

* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
* ↑ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* 1 2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
* ↑ “老子”, in 日本大百科全書：ニッポニカ (Nippon Dai Hyakka Zensho: Nipponica, “Encyclopedia Nipponica”)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 1984
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean

Hanja in this term :
| 老 | 子 |

### Proper noun

老子 • (Noja) (hangeul 노자)
* hanja form of 노자 (“Laozi”)

## Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term :
| 老 | 子 |

### Proper noun

老子
* chữ Hán form of Lão Tử (“Laozi”).