Definition

1. Verb:
   • To laugh: To make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expression of lively amusement, happiness, or sometimes scorn.
   • To smile: To form one's features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and without vocal sound.
   • To sneer: To smile or speak in a contemptuous or mocking manner, showing scorn.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nghe câu chuyện hài, cả phòng đều cười. (Hearing the funny story, the whole room laughed.)
  • Cô ấy cười rất tươi khi chào hỏi. (She smiles very brightly when greeting people.)
  • Đừng cười người khác khi họ gặp khó khăn. (Don't sneer at others when they face difficulties.)

Advanced Usage

• "bật cười": to burst out laughing, to laugh involuntarily.
  • Anh ấy không nhịn được và bật cười. (He couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.)
• "cười mỉm": to smile faintly, to give a slight smile.
  • Ông ấy chỉ cười mỉm và gật đầu. (He just smiled faintly and nodded.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cười cợt (v): to mock, to ridicule, to laugh at someone scornfully.
  • Họ cười cợt ý tưởng của tôi. (They mocked my idea.)
• Cười đùa (v): to joke, to laugh and play around.
  • Bọn trẻ đang cười đùa trong sân. (The children are joking around in the yard.)
• Nụ cười (n): a smile (as a noun).
  • Cô ấy có một nụ cười rất đẹp. (She has a very beautiful smile.)

Synonyms

• Laugh: to express mirth or amusement audibly.
• Smile: to express a pleased, kind, or amused feeling by curving the mouth upward.
• Chuckle: to laugh quietly or inwardly.
• Giggle: to laugh lightly in a nervous, affected, or silly manner.
• Sneer: to smile or speak with contemptuous mockery.

Related Idioms

• Cười người hôm trước hôm sau người cười: Literally "laugh at someone yesterday, tomorrow someone laughs at you." Meaning: Do not mock others, as your own situation may change and you could become the object of ridicule.
  • Anh đừng chê họ, cười người hôm trước hôm sau người cười đấy. (Don't look down on them; those who laugh last, laugh best.)
• Cười ra nước mắt: Literally "to laugh until tears come out." Meaning: to laugh extremely hard; can also imply a situation that is so absurd or tragic it is laughable.
  • Vở kịch hài khiến khán giả cười ra nước mắt. (The comedy had the audience laughing until they cried.)
• Cười trừ: Literally "to laugh it off." Meaning: to respond to a difficult or awkward question or situation with a vague or non-committal laugh, avoiding a direct answer.
  • Khi được hỏi về tin đồn, cô ấy chỉ cười trừ. (When asked about the rumor, she just laughed it off.)

verb

1. to laugh; to smile; to sneer
   • bật cười
     to burst out laughing