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March 24, 2026
微笑wēixiào(wei1xiao4)
微笑 (wēi xiào) means 'smile' and can refer to both the physical act of smiling and the expression of happiness or friendliness. It is commonly used in everyday conversations to describe a warm, gentle smile, often conveying kindness or approachability.
Strokes23Frequency#2368DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, a 微笑 can represent politeness and is often used in situations where direct communication may be avoided, such as when greeting someone or in customer service interactions.
Memory Tip
Think of 微 (wēi) as a 'wee' bit of happiness, and 笑 (xiào) sounds like 'shout' but in a cheerful way. Imagine someone letting out a soft, gentle shout of joy when they see you, which results in a微笑 on their face.
Meanings of 微笑
wēixiào(wei1xiao4)
1smile
2to smile
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About 微笑
微笑Simplified
23Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#2368Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 微笑
Podcast: 微笑
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AI Study Notes for 微笑
Quick Contrast
微笑 (wēixiào) vs 笑 (xiào): use 微笑 for a gentle or warm smile, while 笑 is more general and can imply laughter.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 微笑 with 笑 (xiào) which can also mean 'to laugh.' 微笑 is often used in formal contexts or when describing a gentle smile, whereas 笑 can be more casual. Common collocations include 微笑着 (smiling) and 露出微笑 (show a smile).
HSK Study Tips
As HSK Level 5 vocabulary, 微笑 connects with other words related to emotions and expressions, like 开心 (kāi xīn, happy) or 愉快 (yú kuài, joyful). Focus on using it in sentences to describe emotions or reactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 微笑 with 笑, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我喜欢笑' (wǒ xǐ huān xiào) when they mean 'I like to smile' should be corrected to '我喜欢微笑' (wǒ xǐ huān wēi xiào).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 微笑
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微笑 (wēi xiào) means 'smile' and can refer to both the physical act of smiling and the expression of happiness or friendliness. It is commonly used in everyday conversations to describe a warm, gentle smile, often conveying kindness or approachability.
When to use 微笑
Be careful not to confuse 微笑 with 笑 (xiào) which can also mean 'to laugh.' 微笑 is often used in formal contexts or when describing a gentle smile, whereas 笑 can be more casual. Common collocations include 微笑着 (smiling) and 露出微笑 (show a smile).
微笑 or something close to it
微笑 (wēixiào) vs 笑 (xiào): use 微笑 for a gentle or warm smile, while 笑 is more general and can imply laughter.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 微笑 with 笑, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我喜欢笑' (wǒ xǐ huān xiào) when they mean 'I like to smile' should be corrected to '我喜欢微笑' (wǒ xǐ huān wēi xiào).
Write 微笑
微
笑
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Grammar Patterns of 微笑
微笑 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 2 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.
