笑剧 (xiào jù) — farce; comedy (a humorous play or film)

Definition

A humorous play or film, typically with exaggerated plots and slapstick — broader and lighter than 喜剧 (xiàojù), which covers all comedy, while 笑剧 emphasizes the farcical, absurd side.

noun
farcecomedy (a humorous play or film)
Measure word · 部

Examples

  • 笑剧。
    Zhè bù xiào jù ràng guān zhòng xiào dé qián yǎng hòu hé.
    This farce made the audience laugh their heads off.
  • 笑剧。
    Tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de xiào jù yǎn yuán.
    He is a famous comedy actor.
  • 笑剧。
    xiào jù Tōng cháng yǐ kuā zhāng de qíng jié hé huá jī de duì bái wèi tè sè.
    Farces are usually characterized by exaggerated plots and funny dialogue.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

笑xiàohumor
剧jùdrama

“笑” means humor and “剧” means drama, so it denotes a humorous play.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
艸
艸cǎo笑xiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early 笑 used the grass 艸 for the sound and the dog 犬 for the meaning; later it was written with 竹 and 夭.

Open 笑 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 劇; 剧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
豦
豦jù劇jù
Same sound today

The traditional form 劇 pairs 豦, which gives the sound, with 刀, a knife; the simplified 剧 is a later shorthand.

Open 剧 →

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