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笑话 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
笑话
xiàohua
joke
HSK 4, n, 18 strokes, rank #1853, Medium
笑话
xiàohua
jest
HSK 4, n, 18 strokes, rank #1853, Medium
笑话
xiàohua
to laugh at
HSK 4, n, 18 strokes, rank #1853, Medium
笑话
xiàohua
to mock
HSK 4, n, 18 strokes, rank #1853, Medium
xiàohua(xiao4hua5)xiao hua T4
1joke
2jest
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March 24, 2026
笑话(笑話)xiàohua(xiao4hua5)
笑话 (xiàohuà) refers to a joke or jest, typically a humorous story or anecdote meant to provoke laughter. It is commonly used in casual conversations and can also imply mocking or making fun of someone or something, depending on the context.
Strokes18Frequency#1853DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In China, humor often involves wordplay and puns, which can be culturally specific. Traditional Chinese jokes may include clever uses of language that may not translate well, making understanding 笑话 particularly interesting for language learners.
Memory tip
Think of the character 笑 (xiào), which means 'to laugh,' combined with 话 (huà), meaning 'words' or 'speech.' Imagine telling a funny story that makes everyone laugh, thus creating a 'laughing speech' or 笑话.
Meanings of 笑话
xiàohua(xiao4hua5)
1joke
2jest
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 笑话
笑话Simplified
笑話Traditional
18Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1853Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 笑话
Podcast: 笑话
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AI study notes for 笑话
Quick Contrast
笑话 (joke) vs 幽默 (humor) — use 笑话 when referring specifically to a joke or story meant to provoke laughter, while 幽默 refers more broadly to the quality of being humorous.
Usage Notes
Laughing at someone's misfortune can be considered rude, so be mindful of context. 笑话 is often used in informal settings, but it can also appear in light-hearted formal discussions. Be careful with the tones; a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 4 vocabulary word, 笑话 is useful in everyday conversations, especially when discussing humor or sharing funny experiences. Students should practice using it in sentences and pairing it with other related words like 'funny' (有趣, yǒuqù) or 'amusing' (搞笑, gǎoxiào).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 笑话 with the verb 笑 (xiào) meaning 'to laugh.' For example, saying '我有一个笑' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiào) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个笑话' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiàohuà) to mean 'I have a joke.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 笑话
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Learning Lab
Knowing 笑话 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
笑话 (xiàohuà) refers to a joke or jest, typically a humorous story or anecdote meant to provoke laughter. It is commonly used in casual conversations and can also imply mocking or making fun of someone or something, depending on the context.
When to use 笑话
Laughing at someone's misfortune can be considered rude, so be mindful of context. 笑话 is often used in informal settings, but it can also appear in light-hearted formal discussions. Be careful with the tones; a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
笑话 or something close to it
笑话 (joke) vs 幽默 (humor) — use 笑话 when referring specifically to a joke or story meant to provoke laughter, while 幽默 refers more broadly to the quality of being humorous.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 笑话 with the verb 笑 (xiào) meaning 'to laugh.' For example, saying '我有一个笑' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiào) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个笑话' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiàohuà) to mean 'I have a joke.'
Write 笑话
笑
话
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Grammar patterns of 笑话
笑话 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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.
