哭笑不得 (kū xiào bù dé): lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom); both funny and extremely embarrassing; between laughter and tears

Meaning & Stroke Order

HSK 7

Idiom info

Pinyin
Meaning: lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom); both funny and extremely embarrassing; between laughter and tears
Characters: 4
HSK level: HSK 7

Full definitions

lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom)
both funny and extremely embarrassing
between laughter and tears

Chinese explanation

形容遇到的事情既让人好笑又让人生气或无奈，不知道应该笑还是应该哭
通常用来表达面对尴尬、荒唐或令人失望的局面时，内心复杂、无所适从的心情。

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Character breakdown

HSK 3

to cry

HSK 2

to laugh

HSK 1

HSK 3

to obtain

Example sentences

Her son mistook laundry detergent for salt and put it in the soup; when the mother tasted it, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

His carefully prepared birthday surprise was revealed ahead of time by a friend, and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he just pretended not to know.

Seeing the child scribble all over the wall and proudly say it was art, the father didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She made a mess of the kitchen the first time she cooked; when her boyfriend saw it, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he still helped clean up.

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