牢 (láo) is a Chinese character meaning “firm”. It is written from 宀 (roof) and 牛 (ox; cow), one above the other, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “firm; secure”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
宀 + 牛
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀牛，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画 3+4=7 核验）
Memory aid
A cow (牛) shut in under a roof (宀): a pen. Both parts are really in this character. Nothing in the pen gets loose — that is what 牢 means: held firmly, secure.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 牢记láo jìto keep firmly in mind牢 = láo
- 坐牢zuò láoto be in prison牢 = láo
Go deeper
All readings
firm; pen; prison
firm; secure; fast; also: a pen for animals, and by extension a prison
结实、固定，不容易松动；也指关养牲畜的圈，引申指监狱。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 牢记láo jìto keep firmly in mind牢 = láo
- 坐牢zuò láoto be in prison牢 = láo
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 牢 mean?
牢 (láo) means firm; secure; fast; also: a pen for animals, and by extension a prison.
How do you pronounce 牢?
It is pronounced láo.
What parts is 牢 made of?
宀 (roof) and 牛 (ox; cow), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀牛，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画 3+4=7 核验）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 牢 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 牢?
牛. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 牢?
Common ones are 牢记 and 坐牢. The reading of 牢 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.