Definition
劳心 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to expend mental effort' or 'to worry/trouble one's mind'. The particle 劳 can be separated from 心 by duration, degree, or other complements — for example, 劳了很多心 ('took a lot of mental effort') or 劳了一辈子心 ('worried a lifetime'). It's a formal, somewhat literary word often used in set phrases like 劳心费力.
v.o.
to work with one's mindto use mental effortto worryto be anxious
Examples
- 劳心，。Zhè jiàn shì tài láo xīn le, wǒ bù xiǎng zài guǎn le.This matter is too mentally draining; I don't want to deal with it anymore.
- ，。Wèile háizimen, fùmǔ láo le yí bèizi xīn.For their children, the parents worried their whole lives.
- ，。Tā měitiān láo xīn fèi lì de gōngzuò, cóng bù bàoyuàn.He works hard with mental and physical effort every day, never complaining.
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