开玩笑

• Pinyin: kāi wán xiào
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 (make, crack) + 玩 (play) + 笑 (laugh) — to crack a joke

Meaning

To joke; to kid around. Used when saying something humorous or not meant to be taken seriously.

A verb-object phrase meaning to crack a joke or tease. Common in the phrase 别开玩笑了 (stop joking) and 我开玩笑的 (I was just kidding). Can be playful or dismissive depending on context.

Examples

1. 他喜欢开玩笑。 He likes to joke around.
2. 别开玩笑了！ Stop joking!
3. 我跟你开玩笑的。 I was just kidding with you.

Usage Guide

Context: humor, everyday

Tone: playful

Do Say

• 我开玩笑的，别生气。(I was just joking, don't be angry.)
• 他总是喜欢开玩笑。(He always likes to joke around.)

Don't Say

• 老师，我跟你开玩笑。(Be careful joking with authority figures — it can seem disrespectful in formal contexts)

Origin & History

Compound of 开 (to make, to crack) and 玩笑 (joke, jest) — to make a joke.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal