笑

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to laugh; to smile; to laugh at

Sound it out + + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

A person 夭 with a big grin ⺮

Components ⺮夭

laugh · Heisig RSH #787

竹 bamboo + 夭 die young

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
开玩笑	kāi wán xiào	to play a joke; to make fun of; to joke
有说有笑	yǒu shuō yǒu xiào	talking and laughing; to jest; cheerful and lively
笑而不语	xiào ér bù yǔ	to smile but say nothing
一笑了之	yī xiào liǎo zhī	to laugh away (instead of taking seriously)
笑话儿	xiào hua r	erhua form of 笑話\|笑话[xiao4 hua5]
大笑	dà xiào	to laugh heartily; a belly laugh
格格笑	gé gé xiào	giggle
气笑	qì xiào	to be angry about sth but also find it laughable
笑气	xiào qì	laughing gas (nitrous oxide)
相视而笑	xiāng shì ér xiào	(idiom) to look at each other and smile
发笑	fā xiào	to burst out laughing; to laugh
哈哈大笑	hā hā dà xiào	to laugh heartily; to burst into loud laughter
不值一笑	bù zhí yī xiào	of no value; worthless
笑语	xiào yǔ	talking and laughing; cheerful talk
皮笑肉不笑	pí xiào ròu bù xiào	to put on a fake smile (idiom); to smile insincerely
笑料百出	xiào liào bǎi chū	entertaining; hilarious
笑点	xiào diǎn	funny bits; humorous parts; jokes; punchline
可笑	kě xiào	funny; ridiculous
眉开眼笑	méi kāi yǎn xiào	brows raised in delight, eyes laughing (idiom); beaming with joy; all smiles
笑林	Xiào lín	Jokes (title of an ancient collection of jokes, often used in the title of modern collecti…