Explore 辛 in food, drinks and difficult experiences. Learn its readings with complete words and their context.

The idea

辛 has seven strokes; follow the linked diagram. 辛い is からい for a spicy taste and つらい for a painful experience. 辛口（からくち） can describe a dry drink or a spicy flavour.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
辛いからいThis curry is spicy.
辛いつらいWorking alone is painful.
辛口からくちI like dry wine.

Examples

  • このカレーは辛からいです。This curry is spicy.
  • ソースを辛からさ控ひかえめにしてください。Please make the sauce less spicy.
  • 辛口からくちのワインが好すきです。I like dry wine.
  • この日々ひびは私わたしにとって辛つらいです。These days are hard for me.
  • 一人ひとりで働はたらくのは辛つらいです。Working alone is painful.
  • この店みせには辛からいラーメンがあります。This restaurant has spicy ramen.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

The same spelling 辛い has two readings: context tells you whether the subject is flavour or hardship. Do not confuse 辛 with 幸; 幸 has an extra horizontal stroke.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 辛い meaning spicy in hiragana.

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    からい

    からい is the reading for a spicy taste, as in the curry example.

  2. Write the reading of 辛い meaning painful in hiragana.

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    つらい

    つらい is the reading when an experience is painful or hard.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿口（からくち）［辛／幸］.

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    辛

    辛 completes 辛口（からくち）. In the wine example it means dry.

Use it today

Write 辛 following the diagram, then cover the table and read 辛い in both meanings. Make a sentence about food or a difficult experience.