xiào HSK 2

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他笑了。
Tā xiàole.
He laughed.
我喜欢笑。
Wǒ xǐhuān xiào.
I like to laugh.
她笑得很开心。
Tā xiào dé hěn kāixīn.
She smiles very happily.
婴儿开始笑了。
Yīng'ér kāishǐ xiào le.
The baby began to laugh.
她总是对学生微笑。
Tā zǒngshì duì xuéshēng wēixiào.
She always smiles at her students.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of the character 笑: the top part 竹 (bamboo) resembles eyes smiling, and the bottom 夭 means 'tender' or 'young,' like a joyful, youthful laugh. Associate it with a smiling face or a funny joke to remember.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written Chinese. Common in everyday conversations, literature, and media to describe laughter, smiles, or situations that are funny or joyful. It can also be used metaphorically, e.g., to mock (嘲笑).

📖 Grammar Points

Often used as a verb (e.g., 他笑了). Can be reduplicated as 笑笑 for a casual or brief action (e.g., 他笑笑不说话). Also appears in compounds like 笑起来 (start laughing) or 笑着 (while laughing).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 笑 is associated with positivity, harmony, and social bonding. It's common in greetings and polite interactions. However, context matters—excessive or inappropriate laughter might be seen as impolite. Proverbs like 笑一笑,十年少 (a smile makes you ten years younger) highlight its cultural value.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 乐 (lè), which means 'happy' or 'to enjoy,' but 笑 focuses on the action of laughing/smiling. 笑 is more specific to the physical expression, while 乐 is broader for emotional states.

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