How to Write 叻 (lè) — Meaning “old name for Singapore”

Imagine a person with a strong mouth (口) shouting "Lè!" with all their power (力). This links the shape to the sound lè and to the character's use in Singapore's old name. The fun image helps you recall both the pronunciation and the special meaning.

Write the left part 口 first (three strokes), then the right part 力 (two strokes). Make sure 口 is narrow and placed high, and that 力's hook is clear and does not touch 口. A common mistake is making 口 too wide, which makes the character unbalanced.

叻 has 力 on the right and means Singapore or Laksa, while 卟 has 卜 on the right and is a rare character for a breaking sound or chemical term. The single 口 is just a box meaning "mouth" and has no additional component. Visually, 叻 is wider and combines two parts, unlike plain 口.

Today 叻 appears mainly in the food name 叻沙 (lè shā, Laksa), a spicy noodle soup from Singapore and Malaysia. It is also seen in historical references to Singapore as 叻埠 (Lèbù). Learners outside of Southeast Asia rarely encounter it, but it is a fun cultural word to know.

Common words containing 叻 include: 叻沙 (lè shā) — Laksa (spicy noodle soup); 叻 (lè) — old name for Singapore; 咖叻 (kā lè) — curry (dialectal).