# liao

> English word · Particle · IPA [ljaʊ˨˩] · frequency rank #38,473

## Definitions
1. Indicates action completion, or more generally, perfective aspect.
2. Marks a change in state, more or less in the same manner as the inchoative aspect (see usage notes).
3. Marks a change in state, more or less in the same manner as the inchoative aspect (see usage notes).

## Etymology
Borrowed from Hokkien 了 (liáu) and Teochew 了 (liao²), with tone and spelling influenced by Mandarin 了 (liǎo) and its romanization in Hanyu Pinyin.

## Easily confused with
- **lo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lo)
- **lie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lie)
- **lit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lit)
- **lip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lip)
- **lil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lil)
- **Liz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-liz)
- **lid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lid)
- **lin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lin)
- **lib** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lib)
- **Liu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-liu)
- **Liv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-liv)
- **lim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lim)
- **loo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-loo)
- **lis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lis)
- **loa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-loa)
- **Luo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-luo)
- **LIC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lic)
- **Lua** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lua)
- **LIF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-lif)
- **like** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liao-vs-like)

## Common misspellings (4)
`ilao`, `laio`, `lioa`, `lliao`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/liao