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March 24, 2026
嘲cháo(chao2)
The character 嘲 (cháo) means to ridicule or mock someone, often in a scornful manner. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is being derided or made fun of, and can also refer to sounds that mimic twittering or chirping, like birds. The nuance of the word conveys a sense of light-heartedness but can also imply cruelty or disdain, depending on the context.
Strokes15Radical口Frequency#23462DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, mocking or ridiculing someone can be a serious social faux pas, often considered disrespectful, especially in formal settings. However, light-hearted teasing among friends can also be a sign of camaraderie.
Memory Tip
Imagine a bird (the 'chirp' in 'twitter') sitting on a branch, mocking other animals with its sounds. The character 嘲 resembles a bird (the top part) perched above a person (the bottom part), suggesting that it is mocking someone below. This connection helps remember the pronunciation 'cháo' as the sound the bird makes in its mocking.
Meanings of 嘲
cháo(chao2)
primary
1to ridicule
2to mock
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 嘲
嘲Simplified
15Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#23462Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嘲
Podcast: 嘲
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AI Study Notes for 嘲
Quick Contrast
嘲 (cháo) vs 讽 (fěng) — use 嘲 for light-hearted mockery, while 讽 implies a more serious or pointed satire.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a bird (the 'chirp' in 'twitter') sitting on a branch, mocking other animals with its sounds. The character 嘲 resembles a bird (the top part) perched above a person (the bottom part), suggesting that it is mocking someone below. This connection helps remember the pronunciation 'cháo' as the sound the bird makes in its mocking.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is to confuse 嘲 with similar-sounding characters that have positive meanings; always remember that 嘲 carries a negative connotation. It is generally used in informal contexts, so be cautious when using it in formal speech or writing. Common collocations include 嘲笑 (cháoxiào) meaning 'to laugh at' or 'mock'.
HSK Study Tips
While 嘲 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to vocabulary at higher levels dealing with emotions and interpersonal interactions. Students should focus on understanding its usage in mockery and ridicule, as well as practicing with phrases like 嘲笑 and related expressions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, mocking or ridiculing someone can be a serious social faux pas, often considered disrespectful, especially in formal settings. However, light-hearted teasing among friends can also be a sign of camaraderie.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嘲 with 嘲笑 (cháoxiào), thinking they are interchangeable without recognizing that 嘲 on its own focuses more on scorn. For instance, saying '我只嘲笑他' (Wǒ zhǐ cháoxiào tā) instead of '我只嘲他' (Wǒ zhǐ cháo tā) can change the meaning and intensity of the mockery.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嘲
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Grammar Patterns of 嘲
嘲 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我觉得他们____笑我是因为我长得丑。
I thought they were laughing at me because I was ugly.
Example Sentences for 嘲 (10)
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1
我觉得他们嘲笑我是因为我长得丑。
wǒ jué dé tā mén cháo xiào wǒ shì yīn wéi wǒ cháng dé chǒu。
I thought they were laughing at me because I was ugly.
2
这本书充满了萧伯纳独特的爱尔兰式幽默与嘲讽。
zhè běn shū chōng mǎn le xiāo bó nà dú tè de ài ěr lán shì yōu mò yǔ cháo fěng。
This book is suffused with Shaw's characteristic wry Irish humour.
3
嘲笑声的背后潜伏着一种越来越强烈的不安。
cháo xiào shēng de bèi hòu qián fú zháo yī zhǒng yuè lái yuè qiáng liè de bù ān。
Behind the mocking laughter lurks a growing sense of unease.
4
她大概有30岁，比那些嘲弄她的年轻人大10岁。
tā dà gài yǒu30 30， suì ， bǐ nà xiē cháo nòng tā de nián qīng10 rén。
She was about thirty, ten years older than the youngsters ragging her.
5
他仍然因出身低微而被人无情嘲笑。
tā réng rán yīn chū shēn dī wēi ér bèi rén wú qíng cháo xiào。
He is still the butt of cruel jokes about his humble origins.
6
沙伦以幽默自嘲的口吻讲述那一夜的故事。
shā lún yǐ yōu mò zì cháo de kǒu wěn jiǎng shù nà yī yè de gù shì。
Sharon tells the story of that night with self-deprecating humour.
7
他看着我，冷酷的眼神里闪过一丝嘲笑。
tā kàn zháo wǒ， ， lěng kù de yǎn shén lǐ shǎn guò yī sī cháo。
He looked at me, a flicker of amusement in his cold eyes.
There was constant jeering and interruption from the floor.
9
他告诉她东波尔顿的男孩们是如何攻击他、嘲笑他的。
tā gào sù tā dōng bō ěr dùn de nán hái mén shì rú hé gōng jī tā、 、 cháo xiào tā。
He told her how the boys in East Poldown had set on him, teasing him.
10
他的坦白引起了人们嘲讽的嘘叫。
tā de tǎn bái yǐn qǐ le rén mén cháo fěng de xū jiào。
His confession was greeted with derisive hoots.
Cultural Notes for 嘲
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, mocking or ridiculing someone can be a serious social faux pas, often considered disrespectful, especially in formal settings. However, light-hearted teasing among friends can also be a sign of camaraderie.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, mocking can often be seen as humor, while in Chinese culture, it can sometimes be viewed as offensive, depending on the context and relationship between individuals.
Word Family of 嘲
Words Containing This Character9
嘲笑cháoxiàoto jeer at
嘲cháoto mock
嘲讽to sneer at嘲諷
嘲弄cháonòngto tease
自嘲to mock oneself
冷嘲热讽frigid irony and scorching satire (idiom); to mock and ridicule冷嘲熱諷
自我解嘲to refer to one's foibles or failings with self-deprecating humor
解嘲to justify oneself
嘲谑to mock and ridicule嘲謔
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 嘲笑 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 嘲
嘲 specifically implies a sense of scorn or derision, while words like 笑 (xiào) can simply mean to laugh without the mocking connotation.
It's best to avoid using 嘲 in formal contexts as it carries a negative tone that may not be appropriate.
You can say '他总是嘲笑我的发型' (Tā zǒng shì cháoxiào wǒ de fàxíng), meaning 'He always mocks my hairstyle'.
