辣椒

• Pinyin: là jiāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 辣 = 辛 (pungent) + 束 (bundle) — spicy; 椒 = 木 (wood) + 叔 (uncle, phonetic) — pepper

Meaning

Chili pepper; hot pepper. A spicy vegetable used extensively in Chinese cuisine.

Central to Sichuan, Hunan, and other regional cuisines. Can refer to fresh peppers, dried chilies, chili powder, or chili oil. Spiciness level varies greatly by variety.

Examples

1. 四川菜离不开辣椒。 Sichuan cuisine cannot do without chili peppers.
2. 这道菜放了太多辣椒，辣得我眼泪都出来了。 This dish has too many chili peppers — it's so spicy my eyes are watering.
3. 他在阳台上种了几盆辣椒。 He grows a few pots of chili peppers on the balcony.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, food, agriculture

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你能吃辣椒吗？(Can you eat chili peppers?)
• 辣椒酱是必备的调味品。(Chili sauce is an essential condiment.)

Don't Say

• 把辣椒和花椒混淆。(辣椒 is chili pepper; 花椒 is Sichuan peppercorn — different spices)

Origin & History

Compound of 辣 (spicy/hot) + 椒 (pepper). 椒 originally referred to Sichuan peppercorns; combined with 辣 specifies chili peppers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal