Level 2 · Unit 7 Animals, Fruits & Food

How to Write 辣 (laat)

Meaning: "Spicy"
Step-by-Step Stroke Order Diagram
Loading stroke data...
🖨️ Print Practice Sheet for This Word

Detailed Mastery Guide for 辣

The character 辣 (Traditional: 辣) is a fundamental part of the Chinese language, representing "Spicy". In our Level 2 curriculum, we focus on the 14-step stroke sequence to ensure your handwriting is both fast and accurate.

Writing & Recognition

Proper stroke order is essential for character recognition and legibility. By following the animation above, you can see how the character is built from top to bottom and left to right. This character is often categorized under Animals, Fruits & Food, making it a versatile addition to your vocabulary.

Key Vocabulary

辣椒 làjiāo laat6 ziu1
chili pepper
辛辣 xīnlà san1 laat6
pungent and spicy

Radical Breakdown

Breaking it down: The character 辣 is built on the radical fire 86. Understanding radicals like this is a proven technique for accelerating vocabulary acquisition.

Etymology & Origins

A phono-semantic compound. The left part denotes fire (heat/sensation), and the right part (束) provides the phonetic sound while suggesting a bundled or tight feeling, collectively representing a sharp, biting sensation.

Example Sentence

Simplified: 这道菜非常辣,但我很喜欢。

Zhè dào cài fēicháng là, dàn wǒ hěn xǐhuān.

Traditional: 這道菜非常辣,但我很喜歡。

Ze2 dou6 coi3 fei1 soeng4 laat6, daan6 ngo5 han2 hei2 fun1.

"This dish is very spicy, but I like it a lot."

Dialect Pronunciation

In Mandarin, this character is pronounced as laat. If you are learning Cantonese, the pronunciation is laat6. Use the audio buttons to hear the subtle tonal differences between the two major Chinese dialects.

Practice & Retention

To move this character from short-term to long-term memory, we recommend using our free practice sheet generator. Writing the character 10-15 times while following the correct sequence is a proven method for mastery.

Quick Self-Check

What is the meaning of '辣'?

A) Spicy
B) Sweet
C) Sour
D) Bitter

Other Characters in Level 2 Unit 7

Hope this tool helps your Chinese learning journey!

We built this site to ensure everyone has access to free stroke order visualizers without annoying paywalls or trial limits. If you find it helpful, supporting us on Ko-fi helps keep the site running!

☕ Support Us on Ko-fi