辣
辣 (là) means “spicy”. It is made of 辛 + 束 and has 14 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 辣 into its parts
What 辣 is made of
- 辛 xīn — bitter
- 立 lì — to stand
- 亠 tóu — lid
- 丷 ha — kwukyel
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 立 lì — to stand
- 束 shù — to bind
- 木 mù — tree
- 十 — ten
- 八 bā — eight
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 木 mù — tree
Origin hint: 辛 gives the meaning, 束 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
辣 stroke order
Example sentences
这个菜太辣了。Zhè ge cài tài là le.This dish is too spicy.
你能吃辣的吗？Nǐ néng chī là de ma?Can you eat spicy food?
Words with 辣
Also built with 辛
Quick facts
| Pinyin | là |
|---|---|
| Meaning | spicy; hot |
| Strokes | 14 |
| Radical | 辛 (bitter, #160) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 4 (exam 2025) · HSK 4 (2021) · Old HSK 4 |
Questions about 辣
What does 辣 mean?
辣 (là) means “spicy; hot”.
How many strokes does 辣 have?
辣 has 14 strokes.
What is the radical of 辣?
The radical of 辣 is 辛 (xīn, “bitter”), Kangxi radical number 160.
What parts make up 辣?
辣 is made of 辛 (bitter) and 束 (to bind).
Which HSK level is 辣?
辣 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Learn 辣 with its group
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 55: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.