Meanings of 臘
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About 臘
Podcast: 臘
Podcast: 臘
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AI Study Notes for 臘
Be careful not to confuse 臘 (là) with similar-sounding characters. This term is generally used in specific cultural contexts, such as festivals and traditional practices, making it more formal than everyday vocabulary. Common collocations include 臘肉 (dried meat) and 臘月 (the month of December).
Although 臘 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it relates to cultural concepts present in HSK materials, particularly in discussions about festivals. Focus on associating this word with traditional Chinese New Year practices and food-related vocabulary.
Learners often confuse 臘 (là) with similar characters like 辣 (là), which means 'spicy.' A common mistake is using 臘 in casual conversation when discussing food, where 辣 would be more appropriate, e.g., saying '我喜欢臘的菜' instead of '我喜欢辣的菜'.
Pronunciation of 臘
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Etymology of 臘
meat
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 臘
- 1The meaning half⺼ carries the sense.
- 2The sound half巤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaymeat
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 臘
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How to say December; year's end sacrifice; dried meat in Chinese
“December; year's end sacrifice; dried meat” in Chinese is臘
The character 臘 (là) primarily refers to the month of December in the lunar calendar, marking the year's end. It is also associated with the concept of offering sacrifices and the practice of preparing dried meat, which is a traditional food during festivals in China.
When to use 臘
Be careful not to confuse 臘 (là) with similar-sounding characters. This term is generally used in specific cultural contexts, such as festivals and traditional practices, making it more formal than everyday vocabulary. Common collocations include 臘肉 (dried meat) and 臘月 (the month of December).
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 臘 (là) with similar characters like 辣 (là), which means 'spicy.' A common mistake is using 臘 in casual conversation when discussing food, where 辣 would be more appropriate, e.g., saying '我喜欢臘的菜' instead of '我喜欢辣的菜'.
Write 臘
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Practice writing 臘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 臘
Compound Meaning
What does 希腊 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 臘
In addition to referring to December, 臘 can also mean sacrifices made at the year's end and is associated with the practice of preparing dried meats.
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