笑
Character learning workspace

xiào · to smile, to laugh

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 2.0 · Level 2HSK 3.0 · Level 2Frequency #382
Watch · inspect · write

Learn every stroke in 笑

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 笑 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Character anatomy

Understand the reusable parts

The decomposition shows how the visual pieces fit together, not necessarily the character’s historical origin.

Writing notes

Shape and proportion

10Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

⺮Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 笑 writing sheet

Get a ready-to-use A4 sheet immediately, or open the full builder to change its grid and guidance.

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 笑

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

xiàoWords pronounced xiào
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Example sentences

Notice where 笑 sits in each complete thought.

Zhè bú shì yí jiàn kāi wán xiào de shì.这不是一件开玩笑的事。

This isn't a joking matter.

Source: Tatoeba #9958162 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yě xǔ zhè jiù shì gè tiān dà de xiào huà.也许这就是个天大的笑话。

Maybe this is all one big joke.

Source: Tatoeba #12615486 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Nǐ tài kě xiào le !你太可笑了!

You are ridiculous!

Source: Tatoeba #11509090 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Nǐ juéde wǒ shì zài kāi wán xiào ma?你觉得我是在开玩笑吗?

Do you think I'm joking?

Source: Tatoeba #786037 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā zhè me shuō jiù shì wèi le kāi wán xiào.他这么说就是为了开玩笑。

He only says these things as a joke.

Source: Tatoeba #829322 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā de xiào huà bǎ wǒ lè fān le.他的笑话把我乐翻了。

His jokes really slay me.

Source: Tatoeba #1958157 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 笑 in context

  1. Say xiào, then recall the core meaning: to smile, to laugh.
  2. Write all 10 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 好笑 (hǎo xiào), meaning “laughable”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 笑 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.