囉

Translingual

Han character

囉 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+19, 22 strokes, cangjie input 口田中土 (RWLG), four-corner 6601₄, composition ⿰口羅)

1. exclamatory final particle
2. to nag

Derived characters

• 𮟩

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 215, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 4631
• Dae Jaweon: page 438, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 708, character 4
• Unihan data for U+56C9

Chinese

Glyph origin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raːl) : semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 羅 (OC *raːl).

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Definitions

囉

1. annoying; noisy
2. to nag; to argue; to prattle; to chatter
3. Used in medieval Buddhist texts to transcribe the Sanskrit syllable ra.

Compounds

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Definitions

囉 (Cantonese)

1. Normally used with 咪 (mai⁶); indicates that a suggestion or conclusion should be obvious.

   我冇車咪返唔到屋企囉。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   我冇车咪返唔到屋企啰。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   ngo⁵ mou⁵ ce¹ mai¹ faan¹ m⁴ dou³ uk¹ kei² lo¹.

   Of course I'm unable to go home without a car.

2. Normally used with 咪 (mai⁶); connects a condition to a result or suggestion.

   你想睇戲咪買飛囉。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   你想睇戏咪买飞啰。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   nei⁵ soeng² tai² hei³ mai¹ maai⁵ fei¹ lo¹.

   If you want to watch a movie, then buy your tickets.

3. Statement-final particle used to express impatience or vexation.

   啲車行得勁快囉。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   啲车行得劲快啰。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   di¹ ce¹ haang⁴ dak¹ ging³ faai³ lo¹.

   Those cars are moving so quickly!

4. Statement-final particle used to invite agreement or sympathy.

   唉我唔知點算好囉。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   唉我唔知点算好啰。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   aai¹ ngo⁵ m⁴ zi¹ dim² syun³ hou² lo¹.

   Sigh. I don't know what to do.

Descendants

• → English: lor

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Definitions

囉

1. (Cantonese) buttocks (Classifier: 個／个 c)

Synonyms

Compounds

Etymology 4

Borrowed from English gross (Cheung, 2007).

Pronunciation

Definitions

囉

1. (Cantonese) gross (twelve dozen, 144)
   • 2016 June 9, “特稿：睹港玩具集郵品 特首憶穿膠花”, in Wen Wei Po‎, page A8:

     梁振英憶述，當年塑膠花的工錢以「囉」（gross）計，一「囉」是144支，12支一紥，12紥為一「囉」 [Cantonese, trad.]
     梁振英忆述，当年塑胶花的工钱以「啰」（gross）计，一「啰」是144支，12支一紥，12紥为一「啰」 [Cantonese, simp.]

     loeng⁴ zan³ jing¹ jik¹ seot⁶, dong¹ nin⁴ sou³ gaau¹ faa¹ dik¹ gung¹ cin^4-2 ji⁵ “lo¹” (gross) gai³, jat¹ “lo¹” si⁶ 144 zi¹, 12 zi¹ jat¹ zaat³, 12 zaat³ wai⁴ jat¹ “lo¹”

     CY Leung recalls that, back then the wages for plastic flowers were calculated in “gross”, one gross is 144 flowers. 12 flowers makes a bunch and 12 bunches makes a gross.

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

Definitions

囉

1. (Hokkien) already; now (final perfective particle expressing completion)

   我食囉。／我食啰。 [Hokkien]  ―  Góa chia̍h--lo͘. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  I've eaten already.

   時代變囉。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
   时代变啰。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

   Sî-tāi piàn--lo͘h. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   Times have changed already.

   衫褲曝共真焦囉，著緊收起來啊。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   衫裤曝共真焦啰，著紧收起来啊。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   Saⁿ-khò͘ pha̍k kā chin ta--lo͘, tio̍h kín siu khí lâi ah. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   The clothes have dried enough now, one should quickly put it away.

   汝著毋通佮伊冤家囉。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   汝著毋通佮伊冤家啰。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   Lí tio̍h m̄-thang kap i oan-ke--lo͘. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   You should stop quarrelling with him already.

Synonyms

References

• “囉”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “Entry #13224”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.
• Kam Cheong Chiu (2017) “Exploring the Role of Utterance-Final Particle lō in Turn Allocation in Cantonese Conversation”, in NACCL‎, volume 1, number 29

Japanese

Kanji

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

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Readings

• Go-on: ら (ra)
• Kan-on: ら (ra)
• Kun: こえ (koe, 囉)^{←こゑ (kowe, 囉, historical)}

Korean

Hanja

囉 • (ra) (hangeul 라, revised ra, McCune–Reischauer ra)

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Vietnamese

Han character

囉: Hán Nôm readings: la, ra

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