辣
là
old variant of 辣[la4]
hot (spicy); pungent; (of chili pepper, raw onions etc) to sting; to burn
bitter hardship (辛) + phonetic bundle (束) = hot and pungent
辛 is the semantic core, originally depicting a tattooing needle and coming to mean hardship, bitterness, and sharp sensation — perfect for spicy heat. 束 is mainly there for the sound là; it doesn't add flavor of its own.
这道菜太辣了，我吃不了。
zhè dào cài tài là le, wǒ chī bu liǎo。
This dish is too spicy, I can't eat it.
切洋葱的时候，味道很辣，眼睛会流泪。
qiē yáng cōng de shí hou, wèi dào hěn là, yǎn jing huì liú lèi。
When cutting onions, the smell is very pungent and your eyes will water.
Words with 辣
酸儿辣女
suān ér là nǚ
if a woman likes to eat sour during pregnancy, she will have a boy; if she likes to eat spicy, she will have a girl (idiom)
酸甜苦辣
suān tián kǔ là
lit. sour, sweet, bitter and spicy (idiom)
酸辣土豆丝
suān là tǔ dòu sī
hot and sour shredded potato
酸辣汤
suān là tāng
hot and sour soup
酸辣粉
suān là fěn
hot and sour noodles (Sichuan-origin dish made with starch-based noodles)
酸辣酱
suān là jiàng
hot and sour sauce
重辣
zhòng là
very spicy
阴险毒辣
yīn xiǎn dú là
treacherous and murderous
青芥辣
qīng jiè là
horseradish
香辣椒
xiāng là jiāo
all-spice (Pimenta dioica)
麻辣
má là
hot and numbing
麻辣烫
má là tàng
hot spicy soup (often sold at street stalls)