Chinese Character: 辣
1. Character Basics
Radical: 辛 (xīn, meaning "bitter" or "hot")
Stroke Count: 14
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: là (Fourth tone)
3. Meaning
Spicy; hot (taste); pungent; peppery
4. Common Words
- 辣椒 (làjiāo) - Chili pepper
- 辣味 (làwèi) - Spicy taste
- 辣的 (là de) - Spicy
- 麻辣 (málà) - Numbing spicy (Sichuan cuisine characteristic)
- 辛辣 (xīnlà) - Pungent and spicy
- 辣酱 (làjiàng) - Chili sauce
- 毒辣 (dúlà) - Vicious; venomous
- 辣手 (làshǒu) - Ruthless; tricky
5. Grammar & Usage
"辣" is primarily used as an adjective to describe the taste of food, but it can also be used metaphorically to describe intense feelings or personalities.
Pattern 1: [Food] + 很辣 (hěn là) - [Food] is very spicy
Pattern 2: 辣 + [Noun] - Spicy + [Noun] (e.g., 辣味, 辣椒)
6. Cultural Background
Spicy food has a long history in Chinese cuisine, especially in the Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou provinces. In Chinese culture, enjoying spicy food is often associated with boldness and vitality. The appreciation of spicy flavors has spread worldwide through Chinese restaurants globally.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 四川菜很辣，但是很好吃。
Pinyin: Sìchuān cài hěn là, dànshì hěn hǎochī.
English: Sichuan food is very spicy, but it's delicious.
8. Memory Tips
The character "辣" consists of the radical "辛" (xīn, meaning "bitter" or "hot") on the left and "朿" (cì, meaning "thorn") on the right. Imagine eating something so hot that it feels like tiny thorns are pricking your tongue!