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Resources
Expressing 'to laugh' with 笑 (xiào)
Actions & Events
Manner & Method
Structure
Subject + 笑 + (了)
Explanation
The verb 笑 (xiào) means 'to laugh' or 'to smile,' covering a range of expressions from a quiet smile to hearty laughter. It is one of the most basic and common verbs in Chinese, and can be followed by 了 to indicate a completed action or used with complements to describe the manner of laughing.
Examples
他讲了一个笑话，大家都笑了。
Tā jiǎng le yí gè xiàohua, dàjiā dōu xiào le.
He told a joke, and everyone laughed.
她总是笑着跟人打招呼。
Tā zǒng shì xiào zhe gēn rén dǎ zhāohu.
She always greets people with a smile.
别笑我，我是第一次做饭。
Bié xiào wǒ, wǒ shì dì yī cì zuò fàn.
Don't laugh at me — it's my first time cooking.