开
玩
笑

About

The word "开玩笑" is formed from three characters: 开, meaning to open or initiate; 玩, meaning to play or engage in amusement; and 笑, meaning to laugh. Together, they literally describe the act of initiating a playful interaction that results in laughter, hence conveying the meaning of joking or teasing.

Example Sentences Hide

你别开玩笑。

Nǐ bié kāi wánxiào.

Don't joke around.

他喜欢跟朋友开玩笑。

Tā xǐhuān gēn péngyou kāi wánxiào.

He likes to joke with friends.

我开玩笑说今天不用上班。

Wǒ kāi wánxiào shuō jīntiān bùyòng shàngbān.

I joked that we didn't have to work today.

这种严肃的场合不适合开玩笑。

Zhè zhǒng yánsù de chǎnghé bù shìhé kāi wánxiào.

This kind of serious occasion is not suitable for joking.

你以为我在开玩笑，其实我说的都是真的。

Nǐ yǐwéi wǒ zài kāi wánxiào, qíshí wǒ shuō de dōu shì zhēn de.

You think I'm joking, but actually, everything I said is true.

Word Definition - 开玩笑

kāi wán xiào to play a joke; to make fun of; to joke

Individual Character Details

开 kāi
玩 wán, wán
笑 xiào, xiào