一笑置之 (yī xiào zhì zhī) — to laugh off; to dismiss with a laugh (as a deliberate attitude of not taking something seriously)

Definition

An idiom meaning to dismiss or brush something off with a smile, deliberately not taking it seriously. Often used for ignoring criticism, rumors, or insults.

idiom
to laugh offto dismiss with a laugh (as a deliberate attitude of not taking something seriously)

Examples

  • ，一笑置之，。
    Miàn duì nà xiē wú liáo de yáo yán, tā zhǐ shì yī xiào zhì zhī, bìng bú zài yì.
    In the face of those boring rumors, he just laughed them off and didn't care.
  • ，一笑置之，。
    Duì yú bié rén de lěng cháo rè fěng, tā zǒng shì yī xiào zhì zhī, jì xù zuò zì jǐ de shì.
    As for others' sarcastic remarks, she always dismisses them with a laugh and continues doing her own thing.
  • ，一笑置之。
    Zhè zhǒng xiǎo shì bù zhí dé shēng qì, yī xiào zhì zhī jiù hǎo.
    This kind of small matter isn't worth getting angry about — just laugh it off.

Origin

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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