HSK · Level 12
135 words
Chinese word
好笑
Pronunciation
Pinyinhǎo xiào
Meaning
- adjectivefunny
Example
这件事很好笑。zhè jiàn shì hěn hǎo xiào
This is very funny.
More examples
这部电影结尾很好笑，观众都笑出了声。zhè bù diàn yǐng jié wěi hěn hǎo xiào guān zhòng dōu xiào chū le shēng
The ending of this movie is very funny, and everyone in the audience laughed out loud.
Core concept
A mismatch or behavior that makes seriousness give way to laughter, either because it is entertaining or because it seems absurd.
Common phrases
让人好笑ràng rén hǎo xiào
make people laugh
看起来好笑kàn qǐ lái hǎo xiào
look funny
有点好笑yóu diǎn hǎo xiào
somewhat funny
Similar words
幽默yōu mò: Using wit in words or actions to entertain people and make them laugh.
搞笑gǎo xiào: Deliberately playful or silly in order to make people laugh.
可笑kě xiào: Ridiculous in a foolish way that makes laughter hard to hold back.
滑稽huá jī: Comical because someone's appearance or actions look oddly amusing.
Definition in Chinese
表示令人觉得可笑或好玩的，既可指趣味性也可带有讽刺或贬义，语境决定语气强弱。biǎo shì lìng rén jué de kě xiào huò hǎo wán de jì kě zhǐ qù wèi xìng yě kě dài yǒu fěng cì huò biǎn yì yǔ jìng jué dìng yǔ qì qiáng ruò
Word origin
The compound joins 好 (hǎo, "good") with 笑 (xiào, "laugh"), framing the subject as producing a laugh instead of a serious response.
Usage tips
- The speaker's tone matters: the same word can describe harmless amusement or criticize poor judgment, so a neutral situation is safer than a direct judgment of someone in everyday conversation.