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March 24, 2026
笑(咲)xiào(xiao4)
The character 笑 (xiào) primarily means 'to smile' or 'to laugh.' It is often used to express joy, amusement, or to lighten the mood in conversations. In various contexts, it can imply a giggle or a light-hearted chuckle.
Strokes10Radical⺮Frequency#504DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, smiling and laughter are important for maintaining harmony in social interactions. People may smile even in uncomfortable situations to promote goodwill.
Memory Tip
Imagine a happy face (the radical '竹' resembles bamboo, often associated with nature and joy) surrounded by laughter (the character itself). Picture someone giggling in a bamboo forest, which helps you recall that 笑 means to laugh.
Meanings of 笑
xiào(xiao4)
1to smile, to laugh; to giggle; to snicker
2smile
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 笑
笑Simplified
咲Traditional
10Strokes
⺮Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#504Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L2HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 笑
Podcast: 笑
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AI Study Notes for 笑
Quick Contrast
笑 (xiào) vs 嘲笑 (cháoxiào) — use 笑 for general smiling or laughing, while 嘲笑 specifically means to mock or ridicule.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 笑, as a mispronunciation may change the meaning entirely. It is commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, but be cautious when using it in serious discussions. Typical collocations include 笑话 (joke) and 笑容 (smile).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 2 word, 笑 connects to other basic verbs related to emotions, such as 哭 (kū, to cry) and 爱 (ài, to love). Focus on using it in simple sentences to express feelings or reactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 笑 with 哭 (kū, to cry), leading to sentences like '我笑了' (wǒ xiào le) when they mean to express sadness. Always ensure you are using the correct verb for the emotion you wish to convey.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 笑
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Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 夭 represents the sound. The connection between 竹 (bamboo) and 笑 (laugh) is unclear.
1The giveawayA person 夭 with a big grin ⺮
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 笑? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 笑?
Decomposition of 笑
IDS Structure⿱⺮夭
笑Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
夭yao1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 笑?
How to say to smile, to laugh; to giggle; to snicker in Chinese
“to smile, to laugh; to giggle; to snicker” in Chinese is笑xiào
The character 笑 (xiào) primarily means 'to smile' or 'to laugh.' It is often used to express joy, amusement, or to lighten the mood in conversations. In various contexts, it can imply a giggle or a light-hearted chuckle.
When to use 笑
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 笑, as a mispronunciation may change the meaning entirely. It is commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, but be cautious when using it in serious discussions. Typical collocations include 笑话 (joke) and 笑容 (smile).
笑 or something close to it
笑 (xiào) vs 嘲笑 (cháoxiào) — use 笑 for general smiling or laughing, while 嘲笑 specifically means to mock or ridicule.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 笑 with 哭 (kū, to cry), leading to sentences like '我笑了' (wǒ xiào le) when they mean to express sadness. Always ensure you are using the correct verb for the emotion you wish to convey.
Write 笑
笑
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Practice writing 笑 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 笑
笑 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.
