笑呵呵

Chinese

		laugh; smile	sound of laughter; sound of derisive or perfunctory laughter
trad. (笑呵呵)		笑	呵呵
simp. #(笑呵呵)		笑	呵呵

Etymology

First attested in the early 10^th century in a ci collected in the first ci anthology Huajian Ji.

醺醺酒氣麝蘭和。
驚睡覺，
笑呵呵，
長道人生能幾何！ [Ci, trad.]

---

醺醺酒气麝兰和。
惊睡觉，
笑呵呵，
长道人生能几何！ [Ci, simp.]

From: c. 907~910, Wei Zhuang,《天仙子》

Xūnxūn jiǔqì shèlán hé.
Jīng shuìjué,
Xiàohēhē,
Cháng dào rénshēng néng jǐhé! [Pinyin]

Wine-scented breath blended with musk and orchid's fragrance.
Startled from slumber, yet chuckling soft as death,
For as it is often said, how much of life may we get after all!

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiàohēhē

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄏㄜ ㄏㄜ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): siu³ ho¹ ho¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiàohēhē
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄏㄜ ㄏㄜ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: siàohehe
    • Wade–Giles: hsiao⁴-ho¹-ho¹
    • Yale: syàu-hē-hē
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiawhehe
    • Palladius: сяохэхэ (sjaoxɛxɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ xɤ⁵⁵ xɤ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: siu³ ho¹ ho¹
    • Yale: siu hō hō
    • Cantonese Pinyin: siu³ ho¹ ho¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: xiu³ ho¹ ho¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːu̯³³ hɔː⁵⁵ hɔː⁵⁵/

Adjective

笑呵呵

1. (ideophonic) happy and cheerful

   • 舊酒投，新醅潑，
     老瓦盆邊笑呵呵，
     共山僧野叟閑吟和。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     旧酒投，新醅泼，
     老瓦盆边笑呵呵，
     共山僧野叟闲吟和。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 1300, 關漢卿 (Guan Hanqing),《四塊玉·閒適》其二 (To the tune of Four Pieces of Jade: Leisure)

     Jiù jiǔ tóu, xīn pēi pō,
     Lǎo wǎpén biān xiàohēhē,
     Gòng shānsēng yěsǒu xián yín hè. [Pinyin]

     Wine old made new,
     Fresh spirits I brew,
     With mountain monks and old country men
     Over earthen pots we laugh with poetry set loose.
     (Translated by Gu Zhengkun)

Related terms

• 笑哈哈 (xiàohāhā)