笑
laugh
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of bamboo and bend. Shape of bamboo bending and laughing.
Symbolism
Laughter, smile, smiling face. Represents laughing.
Component Breakdown
bamboo + 夭
Words & Expressions
Words written with 笑
Four-Character Compounds
一顰一笑
いっぴんいっしょう
one's mood; one's caprice; a smile or a frown
笑止千万
しょうしせんばん
highly ridiculous; quite absurd
破顔一笑
はがんいっしょう
smiling broadly
破顔大笑
はがんたいしょう
breaking into a hearty laugh
呵々大笑
かかたいしょう
laughing a ringing laugh; having a hearty laugh; roaring with laughter
拈華微笑
ねんげみしょう
heart-to-heart communication; thought transference; holding a flower and subtly smiling
一笑千金
いっしょうせんきん
a smile of a beautiful woman is worth a thousand pieces of gold; enchanting smile of a glamorous woman
Proverbs & Idioms
笑う門には福来たる
わらうかどにはふくきたる
Fortune comes to those who laugh
Happiness attracts good fortune
笑って損した者なし
わらってそんしたものなし
No one loses by laughing
Laughter is always beneficial
Anime & Manga
銀魂
Gintama
SF period comedy crossing 'laughter' and seriousness.
変態王子と笑わない猫。
Hentai Prince & the Stony Cat
A well-known work with 笑 in its Japanese title.
ブギーポップは笑わない
Boogiepop and Others
A well-known work with 笑 in its Japanese title.
ランウェイで笑って
Smile Down the Runway
A well-known work with 笑 in its Japanese title.
嫁いできた嫁が愛想笑いばかりしてる
My New Wife’s Fake Smile
A well-known work with 笑 in its Japanese title.
Games
Related Figures & Stories
宮川一笑
Name contains 笑
Miyagawa Isshō was a Japanese painter in the ukiyo-e style, primarily depicting kabuki actors, geisha, sumo wrestlers, and other elements of everyday…
WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions
What does 笑 mean in Japanese?
笑 means laugh.
How do you read 笑?
On'yomi: ショウ (SHOU). Kun'yomi: わら.う、え.む (warau, emu).
How many strokes does 笑 have?
笑 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 竹 (bamboo).
Is 笑 a good kanji for a tattoo?
笑 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means laugh. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.