FR / EN

苦笑

HSK 7-9

kǔxiào

sour smile; embarrassed smile

Alternative translations

  • rire jaune

Explanation

a bitter laugh

Examples

他苦笑道:“这真是一场灾难。”

tā kǔ xiào shuō de: “zhè zhēn shì yī chǎng dà zhuài.”

He smiled wryly: 'This is truly a disaster.'

她苦笑着接过礼物,心里却在想这根本不是她想要的。

tā kǔ xiào zhe jiē huò lǐ wù, xīn lǐ què zài xiǎng zhè běng gèng bu shì tā xiǎo suǒ de.

She accepted the gift with a wry smile, but she was thinking that it wasn't what she wanted at all.