Definition
笑 (xiào) is the general verb for both laughing and smiling. For a gentle, closed-mouth smile, use 微笑 (wēi xiào); to laugh at or mock someone, 笑话 (xiào hua) is more specific and often negative.
verb
to laughto smile
Easily confused
- 第dìlook-alike(prefix) used before a number to form ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.)
- 小xiǎosound-alikesmall, tiny
- 算suànlook-aliketo calculate, compute; to figure (out)
- 消xiāosound-aliketo eliminate, to dispel, to subside
- 削xiāosound-aliketo pare, to peel (fruit), to sharpen (a pencil)
- 销xiāosound-aliketo sell
Examples
- 笑。Tā xǐhuan xiào.He likes to laugh.
- 笑！Bié xiào wǒ!Don't laugh at me!
- 笑？Nǐ xiào shénme?What are you laughing/smiling at?
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