Learn a Chinese Character - 啦

1. Character Basics

Radical: 口 (kǒu, mouth radical)

Stroke Count: 11

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: la (neutral tone) or lā (first tone)

3. Meaning

Modal particle; used at the end of a sentence to indicate completion, emphasis, or to make a sentence sound more conversational

4. Common Words

• 好啦 (hǎola) - Alright; okay
• 来啦 (láila) - Coming!
• 走啦 (zǒula) - Let's go!
• 知道啦 (zhīdàola) - I know!
• 吃啦 (chīla) - Have eaten!
• 喝啦 (hēla) - Have drunk!
• 玩啦 (wánla) - Have played!
• 睡啦 (shuìla) - Have slept!

5. Grammar & Usage

"啦" is a very common modal particle in spoken Chinese. It is often formed by combining "了" (le) and "啊" (a) and is used at the end of sentences to indicate completion, soften the tone, or make the sentence more conversational.

Pattern 1: [Verb] + 啦 - Indicating completion (e.g., 吃啦, 喝啦)

Pattern 2: [Adjective] + 啦 - Adding emphasis (e.g., 好啦, 够啦)

6. Cultural Background

The particle "啦" is extensively used in colloquial Chinese, making conversations sound more natural and friendly. Its usage reflects the importance of tone and rhythm in spoken Chinese communication, helping to convey nuances of emotion and attitude beyond the literal meaning of words.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "啦" consists of the radical "口" (kǒu, mouth) on the left and "拉" (lā, pull) on the right. Since "啦" is a modal particle used in speech, you can remember it as a character related to the mouth (口) making sounds in conversation. Imagine pulling (拉) sounds out of your mouth when speaking casually!