How to Write 蜡 (là) — Meaning “wax; candle”

Imagine an ancient (昔) candle made from insect (虫) wax. Picture a candle with a small worm sitting on top to remind you that wax comes from insects.

Start with the left radical 虫: write the strokes vertically, then the bottom dot. Then write the right side 昔: first a horizontal, then two verticals, another horizontal, then the 日 part. Keep the left side narrow and the right side wider; a common mistake is making the 虫 too large.

蜡 means wax or candle, while 蛐 (qū) means cricket and 蛑 (móu) means a type of crab. They all share the insect radical, but their right parts differ: 蜡 has 昔, 蛐 has 曲, and 蛑 has 牟. Their meanings and usage are completely unrelated.

蜡 appears in common words like 蜡烛 (candle), 蜡笔 (crayon), and 蜡像 (wax figure). In Chinese culture, red candles are often used in weddings and festivals as symbols of happiness and good luck.

Common words containing 蜡 include: 蜡烛 (là zhú) — candle; 蜡笔 (là bǐ) — Crayon; 蜡像 (là xiàng) — wax figure; waxwork.