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癞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
làileprosy; scabies, mange; shoddyn, 18 strokes, radical 疒, rank #57024, Very Hard
làiskin diseaseunknown, 18 strokes, radical 疒, rank #57024, Very Hard
lài(lai4) T4
  1. 1leprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy
  2. 2skin disease
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(癩)lài(lai4)

The character 癞 (lài) primarily refers to leprosy, a chronic infectious disease that affects the skin and nerves. It can also denote other skin conditions like scabies or mange. This term is often used in medical contexts or discussions about health and hygiene.

Strokes18RadicalFrequency#57024DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin diseases like those referred to by 癞 are often discussed in the context of bodily balance and the influence of external factors on health, reflecting a holistic view of wellness prevalent in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'loud' (sounds like 'lài') alarm going off when someone with a 'leprosy' (癞) is nearby, indicating the need for caution. The character is composed of the 'sick' radical 疒, suggesting illness, combined with another component that gives it its specific meaning.

Meanings of 癞

lài(lai4)
1leprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy
2skin disease
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 癞

Simplified
Traditional
18Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 癞

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AI Study Notes for 癞

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'loud' (sounds like 'lài') alarm going off when someone with a 'leprosy' (癞) is nearby, indicating the need for caution. The character is composed of the 'sick' radical 疒, suggesting illness, combined with another component that gives it its specific meaning.

Usage Notes

When using 癞, it's important to note that it is a more formal or technical term in medical discussions. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words or using it informally, which might not convey the seriousness of the condition. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Though not part of the HSK vocabulary, 癞 can be connected to HSK Level 4 terms related to health and illness, such as 病 (bìng, illness) or 医生 (yīshēng, doctor). Students should focus on recognizing the context in which this word appears, especially in medical literature.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin diseases like those referred to by 癞 are often discussed in the context of bodily balance and the influence of external factors on health, reflecting a holistic view of wellness prevalent in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 癞 with similar sounding terms like 来 (lái, come), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我癞去' instead of '我来去' (I am coming) demonstrates a misunderstanding of the word's meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 癞

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Etymology of 癞

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 赖 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癩.

Memory Hint

sickness

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 癞?

Decomposition of 癞

IDS Structure⿸疒赖
Full Character
=
ne4
enclosing
Lai4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 癞?

Write 癞

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Cultural Notes for 癞

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin diseases like those referred to by 癞 are often discussed in the context of bodily balance and the influence of external factors on health, reflecting a holistic view of wellness prevalent in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 癞

Words Containing This Character3
癞蛤蟆toad癩蛤蟆
làiscabies
癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉lit. the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiom)癩蛤蟆想吃天鵝肉
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 癞蛤蟆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 癞

Common synonyms include 疥 (jiè, scabies) and 皮肤病 (pífū bìng, skin disease), but 癞 is more specific to leprosy.