← Back

笑

laugh
Stroke count: 10

Readings

On readingショウ
Kun readingわら.う、え.む
JLPT level: N2JōyōGrade 4

Meanings

  1. laughRtK
  1. to laugh
  2. to smile
  3. to sneer
  4. to ridicule
  5. to be dumbfounded

Popular Usage

笑う笑顔あざ笑う可笑しい

Radicals and components

Radical竹bamboo
Components
How it's built
笑
  • →
  • →
    • →
    • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

bamboo (竹) · heavens

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 1008

Compound words

笑うわらう
to laugh; to smile; to sneer; to ridicule; to be dumbfounded
笑顔えがお
smiling face; smile
嘲笑ちょうしょう
scornful laughter; ridicule; derision; sneer
苦笑くしょう
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
笑いわらい
laugh; laughter; smile; sneer; sex aids (e.g. dildos, pornographic books, erotic woodblock prints, etc.)
笑みえみ
smile
談笑だんしょう
friendly chat; pleasant chat; lighthearted talk; friendly conversation
爆笑ばくしょう
roar of laughter (from multiple people); burst of laughter; uproarious laughter; laughing hard (of a single person)
微笑びしょう
smile
冷笑れいしょう
sneer; derision; scornful laugh; cold smile
苦笑いにがわらい
bitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
笑い声わらいごえ
(sound of) laughter; laughing voice
大笑いおおわらい
great laughter; burst of laughter
微笑むほほえむ
to smile
作り笑いつくりわらい
forced laugh; forced smile
一笑いっしょう
laugh
嬉笑きしょう
happy laughter
笑窪えくぼ
dimple
笑茸わらいたけ
Panaeolus papilionaceus (species of poisonous mushroom)
笑読しょうどく
(your) reading (of my work)
哄笑こうしょう
loud laughter (esp. by a group of people)
嗤笑ししょう
sneer
嬌笑きょうしょう
charming smile
愍笑びんしょう
smiling with pity

Additional Examples

彼は微笑んで、別れを告げた。
He smiled and said goodbye.tatoeba
彼は微笑みで悲しみを隠した。
He hid his sadness behind a smile.tatoeba
彼は微笑みそして立ち上がった。
He smiled and left.tatoeba
彼は微笑で悲しみを隠した。
He disguised his sorrow with a smile.tatoeba
笑う門には福きたる
Fortune favors cheerful homes.wiki
来年のことを言うと鬼が笑う
If you talk about next year, devils will laugh at you.wiki
祭りでは、笑顔のミルク仮面をつけたミルク神が歩き回る。
In a festival, the milk god who wears a mask of milk walks around with a smile.wiki
これが彼が生涯でただ一度家臣たちの目前で見せた笑顔であったという。
It is said that this was the only time his retainers saw him smile in his lifetime.wiki
それを見た源氏の諸将は宗盛をあざ笑う。
Seeing such behavior, the generals of the Minamoto clan mockingly laughed at Munemori.wiki

Stroke Order

10 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 笑

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step