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March 24, 2026
辣(辢)là(la4)
The character 辣 (là) primarily means 'spicy' or 'hot', often used to describe food that has a strong, pungent flavor. It can also imply cruelty or harshness in a figurative sense. In culinary contexts, it is frequently associated with dishes that contain chili peppers or other spicy ingredients.
Strokes14Radical辛Frequency#1615DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, spicy dishes are particularly popular in regions like Sichuan and Hunan, where the use of chili peppers is prominent. 辣 is often a key descriptor when talking about local specialties, reflecting the bold flavors that characterize these regional foods.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fiery pepper that brings heat to your tongue. The character 辣 looks like a combination of 'fire' (火) and 'to be strong' (力), symbolizing the intense heat and flavor. Picture yourself sweating after biting into a spicy pepper, and remember that 'là' sounds like 'lah', a sound of exclamation when you taste something overwhelmingly spicy!
Meanings of 辣
là(la4)
1pepper; hot, spicy; cruel
2pungent
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 辣
辣Simplified
辢Traditional
14Strokes
辛Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#1615Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 辣
Podcast: 辣
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AI Study Notes for 辣
Quick Contrast
辛 (xīn) — use 辣 (là) for spiciness in food, while 辛 (xīn) refers to a more general sense of bitterness or harshness.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 辣 (là) with 了 (le), as both can appear in casual conversation. It is more common in informal registers, especially when discussing food. Common collocations include 辣椒 (làjiāo - chili pepper) and 辣味 (làwèi - spicy flavor).
HSK Study Tips
As part of HSK Level 4, 辣 (là) connects with other food-related vocabulary like 酸 (suān - sour) and 甜 (tián - sweet). Focus on using it in sentences describing your food preferences or experiences in restaurants.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mispronounce 辣 (là) as 'la', which changes its meaning. Ensure to use the correct tone to convey the right idea. Another common mistake is using 辣 in formal contexts, where it may seem too casual.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 辣
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Phonosemantic compound. 辛 represents the meaning and 束 represents the sound. Simplified form of 辢.
1The meaning half辛 carries the sense.
2The sound half束 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaybitter
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 辣? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 辣?
Decomposition of 辣
IDS Structure⿰辛束
辣Full Character
=
辛Xin1
left
束Shu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 辣?
How to say pepper; hot, spicy; cruel in Chinese
“pepper; hot, spicy; cruel” in Chinese is辣là
The character 辣 (là) primarily means 'spicy' or 'hot', often used to describe food that has a strong, pungent flavor. It can also imply cruelty or harshness in a figurative sense. In culinary contexts, it is frequently associated with dishes that contain chili peppers or other spicy ingredients.
When to use 辣
Be careful not to confuse 辣 (là) with 了 (le), as both can appear in casual conversation. It is more common in informal registers, especially when discussing food. Common collocations include 辣椒 (làjiāo - chili pepper) and 辣味 (làwèi - spicy flavor).
辣 or something close to it
辛 (xīn) — use 辣 (là) for spiciness in food, while 辛 (xīn) refers to a more general sense of bitterness or harshness.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes mispronounce 辣 (là) as 'la', which changes its meaning. Ensure to use the correct tone to convey the right idea. Another common mistake is using 辣 in formal contexts, where it may seem too casual.
Write 辣
辣
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Grammar Patterns of 辣
辣 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
If you prefer mild flavours reduce or leave out the chilli.
9
他的情书貌似写得很火辣。
tā de qíng shū mào sì xiě dé hěn huǒ là。
His love letters were hot stuff, apparently.
10
她感到脸上火辣辣地红了起来.
tā gǎn dào liǎn shàng huǒ là là dì hóng le qǐ lái.
She felt colour flame up in her cheeks.
Cultural Notes for 辣
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, the concept of 'spicy' often refers to heat from black pepper or hot sauces, while in China, it heavily emphasizes the use of chili peppers and the balance of flavors in dishes.
Word Family of 辣
Words Containing This Character19
辣làpungent
辣椒làjiāochili
麻辣málàhot and numbing
辛辣spicy hot (taste)
酸甜苦辣suāntiánkǔlàsour, sweet, bitter and spicy hot
火辣辣huǒlàlàpainful heat
火辣painful heat
辣椒酱red pepper paste辣椒醬
心狠手辣vicious and merciless (idiom)
泼辣shrewish潑辣
毒辣cruel
辣子chili
老辣shrewd and ruthless
辣根horseradish
酸辣汤hot and sour soup酸辣湯
吃香喝辣fig. to live well
辣酱油Worcestershire sauce辣醬油
阴险毒辣treacherous and murderous陰險毒辣
恶辣ruthless惡辣
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 辣 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 辣
辣 (là) refers specifically to spiciness or heat in food, while 麻 (má) describes a numbing sensation often associated with Sichuan cuisine. Both flavors can be found in spicy dishes, but they offer different sensory experiences.
辣 (là) means 'spicy' or 'hot', often used to describe food that has a strong, pungent flavor. It can also refer to something that is cruel or harsh in a non-literal sense. The character is commonly associated with spicy dishes in Chinese cuisine.
You can use 辣 (là) in sentences to describe the taste of food. For example, '这道菜很辣' (Zhè dào cài hěn là) means 'This dish is very spicy.' It can also be used in a figurative sense to describe a person's behavior as harsh or cruel.
You can say '这个菜很辣' (Zhège cài hěn là) meaning 'This dish is very spicy.'
While it primarily describes the spiciness of food, 辣 can also describe harshness or cruelty in certain contexts.
Yes, you can also use 辣味 (làwèi) specifically to refer to the spicy flavor.
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