剌

lá, là

刂 + 束

Definitions

lá variant of 拉[lá] (Note: 剌 was the character used prior to simplification and remains the standard in Taiwan, while in mainland China, 拉 has replaced 剌)

là perverse; unreasonable; absurd

Etymology

Depicts using a knife (刂) to cut crops (𣏮). Similar in origin to 利.

Semantic: 刂 Phonetic: 束

About

剌 (là) originally depicted crops (𣏮) being cut with a knife (刂), akin to 利, conveying a forceful cutting or slashing action. The left component now resembles 束, but the character retains its core sense of violent separation. Over time it also took on abstract meanings describing perverse, unreasonable, or contradictory behavior that defies expectation. Visually, it must be distinguished from the much commoner 刺 (cì); the two differ slightly in their left-hand components. 剌 frequently appears in compounds like 乖剌 (guāilà), which characterizes someone's temperament as eccentric or deliberately contrary.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他是阿剌伯人。

Tā shì ā là bó rén.

He is an Arab.

阿剌伯半岛很大。

Ā là bó bàn dǎo hěn dà.

The Arabian Peninsula is very large.

阿剌伯语很难学。

Ā là bó yǔ hěn nán xué.

Arabic is very difficult to learn.

这个故事很乖剌。

Zhè gè gù shi hěn guāi là.

This story is very perverse.

他的行为有些剌谬。

Tā de xíng wéi yǒu xiē là miù.

His behavior is somewhat contradictory.

鱼儿泼剌一声跳出水面。

Yú er pō là yì shēng tiào chū shuǐ miàn.

The fish jumped out of the water with a splash.

这篇文章中有剌谬之处。

Zhè piān wén zhāng zhōng yǒu là miù zhī chù.

There are contradictions in this article.

这种剌谬的论点很难理解。

Zhè zhǒng là miù de lùn diǎn hěn nán lǐ jiě.

This kind of contradictory argument is hard to understand.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 刂

Component: 束

Example Words