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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "to joke" with 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào)

    Actions & Events
    Manner & Method

    Structure

    Subject + 开玩笑

    Explanation

    开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào) means "to joke," "to kid around," or "to make fun." It is a common verb-object phrase used in everyday conversation to describe humorous or teasing behavior. It can also appear in the construction 跟…开玩笑 (to joke with someone) or 别开玩笑了 (stop kidding).

    Examples

    • 别开玩笑了，这件事很严肃。

      Bié kāi wánxiào le, zhè jiàn shì hěn yánsù.

      Stop joking around — this is a serious matter.

    • 他喜欢跟朋友开玩笑，但有时候分寸把握不好。

      Tā xǐhuān gēn péngyǒu kāi wánxiào, dàn yǒu shíhòu fēncùn bǎwò bù hǎo.

      He likes to joke around with friends, but sometimes he doesn't know where to draw the line.

    • 我没有开玩笑，我说的都是真的。

      Wǒ méiyǒu kāi wánxiào, wǒ shuō de dōu shì zhēn de.

      I'm not joking — everything I said is true.

    Similar Grammar

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    Expressing "to joke" with 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào) | Chinese Grammar