HSK · Level 36
120 words
Chinese word
笑话儿
Pronunciation
Pinyinxiào huàr
Meaning
- nounjoke
Example
这是个笑话儿，你别当真。zhè shì gè xiào huàr nǐ bié dàng zhēn
This is a joke, so don't take it seriously.
More examples
大家听了这个笑话儿都笑了。dà jiā tīng le zhè ge xiào huàr dōu xiào le
Everyone laughed when they heard this joke.
Core concept
A bit of speech or behavior that draws laughter, either as playful entertainment or by making a person or thing look ridiculous.
Common phrases
讲个笑话儿jiǎng gè xiào huàr
tell a joke
听笑话儿tīng xiào huàr
listen to a joke
Similar words
笑话xiào huà: A brief amusing story or playful remark that makes people laugh.
Definition in Chinese
主要指带有儿化音的口语小笑话或玩笑话，也可指成为众人谈资的滑稽事或被嘲笑的人或事。zhǔ yào zhǐ dài yǒu ér huà yīn de kóu yǔ xiǎo xiào huà huò wán xiào huà yě kě zhǐ chéng wéi zhòng rén tán zī de huá jī shì huò bèi cháo xiào de rén huò shì
Word origin
笑 (xiào, "laugh") + 话 (huà, "speech") creates the idea of speech that causes laughter, while 儿 (ér, "r-suffix") gives 笑话儿 (xiàohuàér, "joke") its northern spoken form.
Usage tips
- 笑话儿 (xiàohuàér, "joke") belongs mainly to relaxed speech, while 笑话 (xiàohuà, "joke") is usually the safer form in a formal school essay.