TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
辣
辣 ＝ 辛 ＋ 剌
ㄌㄚˋ · là
adj — hot, spicy (pungent); fierce, vicious
字源 FORM — what the parts do
剌聲là — the right side, read làa thorn-branch (束) beside a knife (刂)
辛 supplies the biting, stinging taste. The right side carries the sound, read là. The old graph carries two tellings of that right side: a full 剌 (thorn-branch 束 plus knife 刂, là) whose knife wore off in the common glyph, or a bare 束-shape stood in for the sound — either way the right side reads là. Together, the burn on the tongue: 辣椒、辛辣. A burn of another kind: 毒辣、潑辣.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
帶刺的枝（束）狠狠一劃，辛（辛）那樣的刺痛燒上舌頭——辣。
The thorn-branch (束) slashes hard and the sting of 辛 burns onto the tongue — that is 辣.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)辣— hot, pungent (the burning taste)常用
→辣椒、辛辣— chili; spicy常用
⇒毒辣、潑辣— vicious; fierce, sharp-tempered
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
辛xīnthe meaning-piece alone — 辛 is the bare knife; 辣 adds the thorn-and-blade for the sound辢làthe old form — 辢 writes the same word with the parts stacked differently