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辣椒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
辣椒làjiāohot pepperHSK 6, n, 26 strokes, rank #6436, Hard
辣椒làjiāochiliHSK 6, n, 26 strokes, rank #6436, Hard
làjiāo(la4jiao1)la jiao T4
  1. 1hot pepper
  2. 2chili
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March 24, 2026

辣椒làjiāo(la4jiao1)

辣椒 refers to hot peppers or chilies, which are commonly used in Chinese cuisine to add spiciness and flavor to dishes. It can also refer to various types of peppers, both fresh and dried, and is a staple in many regional cooking styles across China, particularly Sichuan and Hunan.

Strokes26Frequency#6436DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In China, 辣椒 is not just a flavor enhancer but also a symbol of regional identity, especially in places like Sichuan, where the love for spicy food is deeply ingrained in the culture. Festivals and local dishes often celebrate the use of辣椒.

Memory Tip

Think of 辣椒 (la4 jiao1) as 'la' being the sound of something spicy making you 'laugh' or 'cry' due to its heat. The character 辣 (spicy) combines the radical for 'grass' (艹) at the top, suggesting something that grows, and 'inside' the character is 'fire' (火), which adds to the idea of heat and spice!

Meanings of 辣椒

làjiāo(la4jiao1)
1hot pepper
2chili
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 辣椒

辣椒Simplified
26Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6436Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 辣椒

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Podcast: 辣椒

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AI Study Notes for 辣椒

Quick Contrast

辣椒 (làjiāo) vs 辣 (là) — 辣椒 refers specifically to the pepper itself, while 辣 describes the spiciness of a flavor or food.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tones; 辣 (la4) is fourth tone and means 'spicy', while 椒 (jiao1) is first tone. In informal contexts, you might hear people simply say 辣 (la4) to refer to something spicy, but using 辣椒 is more precise when discussing the ingredient itself. Common collocations include 辣椒油 (chili oil) and 辣椒酱 (chili sauce).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 辣椒 connects with other food-related vocabulary. Focus on using it in the context of cooking or food preferences, and remember to practice with collocations to enhance your fluency in discussing cuisine.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 辣椒 with other types of peppers; for example, using 辣椒 when you mean 青椒 (green bell pepper). Remember, 辣椒 specifically refers to hot peppers.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 辣椒

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Component Characters

辣làpepper; hot, spicy; cruel
HSK 414 strokes辛
View full entry
椒jiāopepper
12 strokes木
View full entry

How to say hot pepper in Chinese

“hot pepper” in Chinese is辣椒làjiāo

辣椒 refers to hot peppers or chilies, which are commonly used in Chinese cuisine to add spiciness and flavor to dishes. It can also refer to various types of peppers, both fresh and dried, and is a staple in many regional cooking styles across China, particularly Sichuan and Hunan.

When to use 辣椒

Be careful with the tones; 辣 (la4) is fourth tone and means 'spicy', while 椒 (jiao1) is first tone. In informal contexts, you might hear people simply say 辣 (la4) to refer to something spicy, but using 辣椒 is more precise when discussing the ingredient itself. Common collocations include 辣椒油 (chili oil) and 辣椒酱 (chili sauce).

辣椒 or something close to it

辣椒 (làjiāo) vs 辣 (là) — 辣椒 refers specifically to the pepper itself, while 辣 describes the spiciness of a flavor or food.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is confusing 辣椒 with other types of peppers; for example, using 辣椒 when you mean 青椒 (green bell pepper). Remember, 辣椒 specifically refers to hot peppers.

Write 辣椒

辣
椒

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

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Grammar Patterns of 辣椒

辣椒 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 2 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

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你可以在15分钟内做出一道便宜的____素菜。

You can cook a cheap veggie chilli in 15 minutes.

Example Sentences for 辣椒 (10)

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1
你可以在15分钟内做出一道便宜的辣椒素菜。

nǐ kě yǐ zài15 15 fēn zhōng nèi zuò chū yī dào biàn yí de là jiāo sù。

You can cook a cheap veggie chilli in 15 minutes.
2
我揭开一罐辣椒的盖子。

wǒ jiē kāi yī guàn là jiāo de gài zǐ。

I pried the top off a can of chilli.
3
切辣椒时要戴橡胶手套，因为辣椒会刺激皮肤。

qiē là jiāo shí yào dài xiàng jiāo shǒu tào， ， yīn wéi là jiāo huì cì jī pí。

Wear rubber gloves while chopping chillies as they can irritate the skin.
4
这要看你下多重的辣椒粉了。

zhè yào kàn nǐ xià duō zhòng de là jiāo fěn le。

It all depends on how heavy-handed you are with the paprika.
5
用油炸一下剩下的辣椒，如果需要再加点调味汁。

yòng yóu zhà yī xià shèng xià de là jiāo， ， rú guǒ xū yào zài jiā diǎn tiáo wèi。

Fry remaining peppers, adding a little more dressing if necessary.
6
如果喜欢清淡的口味，可少放或不放辣椒。

rú guǒ xǐ huān qīng dàn de kǒu wèi， ， kě shǎo fàng huò bù fàng là。

If you prefer mild flavours reduce or leave out the chilli.
7
他的舌头被红辣椒辣得好难受.

tā de shé tóu bèi hóng là jiāo là dé hǎo nán shòu.

He burned his tongue with red pepper.
8
你可以尝出菜里面有辣椒，不过味道有点甜。

nǐ kě yǐ cháng chū cài lǐ miàn yǒu là jiāo， ， bù guò wèi dào yǒu diǎn。

You can taste the chilli in the dish but it is a little sweet.
9
又甜又辣: 红辣椒 、 酱油和姜制成的酱,很刺激.

yòu tián yòu là: : hóng là、 jiāo 、 jiàng yóu hé jiāng zhì chéng, de jiàng ,.

Sweet meets heat: A chili pepper, soy and ginger sauce.
10
将辣椒切为4瓣.

jiāng là jiāo qiē wéi4 4.

Cut the peppers into quarters.

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Cultural Notes for 辣椒

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western countries, the spice level is often milder and varies widely, whereas in many regions of China, especially the south, high levels of spiciness are a cultural norm and a point of pride.

Frequently Asked Questions about 辣椒

You can say, '我喜欢吃辣椒' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī làjiāo) meaning 'I like to eat chili peppers.'

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