啼笑皆非 (tí xiào jiē fēi) — not know whether to laugh or cry; caught between laughter and tears; simultaneously funny and embarrassing
Definition
Chengyu meaning a situation is so absurd that you don't know whether to laugh or cry — both reactions are wrong, so you are caught between them. Used for awkward, ridiculous, or inappropriate moments, not for genuine sadness.
idiom
not know whether to laugh or crycaught between laughter and tearssimultaneously funny and embarrassing
Examples
- ，啼笑皆非。Miàn duì zhè zhǒng huāng táng de jié guǒ, tā zhēn shì tí xiào jiē fēi.Faced with such an absurd result, he really didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
- 啼笑皆非，。Lǎo bǎn shuō de zhè ge xiào hua ràng rén tí xiào jiē fēi, wán quán bù hé shí yí.The joke the boss told was so awkward it left everyone not knowing whether to laugh or cry — completely inappropriate for the occasion.
- ，啼笑皆非。Kǎo shì tí mù chū dé zhè me lí pǔ, xué shēng men dōu gǎn dào tí xiào jiē fēi.The exam questions were so ridiculous that the students all felt they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
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