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癩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
癩làileprosy; scabies, mange; shoddyx, 21 strokes, radical 疒
lài(lai4)lai T4
  1. 1leprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy
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March 24, 2026

癩lài(lai4)

The character 癩 (lài) refers to leprosy, a chronic infectious disease that affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. It can also denote scabies or mange, indicating a broader context of skin-related afflictions. Additionally, it is used metaphorically to describe something shoddy or inferior.

Strokes21Radical疒
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, leprosy was often associated with social stigma and isolation. Historical treatments and societal views on leprosy have shaped how the term is perceived today, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'lay' person who is afflicted with leprosy, where the '癩' character looks like a person with patches on their skin. The '癸' radical at the bottom can remind you of the 'skin' aspect, while the '白' component signifies white, relating to the appearance of leprosy on skin.

Meanings of 癩

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

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About 癩

癩Simplified
21Strokes
疒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 癩

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AI study notes for 癩

Usage Notes

This term is typically used in medical or descriptive contexts rather than in casual conversation. Be cautious with its connotation, as using it to describe something as 'shoddy' can come off as quite harsh or negative. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that do not have medical implications.

HSK Study Tips

Though 癩 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your grasp of more complex medical terms. Focus on the radicals and components to see how they connect to other words related to health and skin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 癩 with the similar-sounding 来 (lái), which means 'to come.' For example, saying '我有癩' (wǒ yǒu lái) to mean 'I have come' is incorrect; instead, it should be '我来了' (wǒ lái le).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 癩

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Etymology of 癩

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

Origin

癩 = 疒 + 賴. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 癩

IDS Structure⿸疒賴
癩Full character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
賴lai4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 癩?

How to say leprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy in Chinese

“leprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy” in Chinese is癩lài

The character 癩 (lài) refers to leprosy, a chronic infectious disease that affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. It can also denote scabies or mange, indicating a broader context of skin-related afflictions. Additionally, it is used metaphorically to describe something shoddy or inferior.

When to use 癩

This term is typically used in medical or descriptive contexts rather than in casual conversation. Be cautious with its connotation, as using it to describe something as 'shoddy' can come off as quite harsh or negative. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that do not have medical implications.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 癩 with the similar-sounding 来 (lái), which means 'to come.' For example, saying '我有癩' (wǒ yǒu lái) to mean 'I have come' is incorrect; instead, it should be '我来了' (wǒ lái le).

Write 癩

癩

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

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Word Family of 癩

Words containing this character3
癞蛤蟆toad癩蛤蟆
癞làiscabies癩
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

Words with 癩

What does 癞蛤蟆 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 癩

癩 can refer to medical conditions like leprosy and scabies, as well as metaphorically to describe something of poor quality.

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