乐

• Pinyin: lè
• Hanzi breakdown: 乐 = simplified from 樂, originally a pictograph of a stringed instrument on a stand — music and joy share the same root

Meaning

To be happy; to laugh; to be amused. Describes a state of joy or amusement.

As a verb (lè), it means to be happy, amused, or to laugh with pleasure. Very commonly used in spoken Chinese, often in phrases like 乐了 (cracked up laughing) or 乐呵呵 (happily, cheerfully). Also appears in compounds like 快乐 (happy), 欢乐 (joyful), and 娱乐 (entertainment). Note: when read as yuè, it means music, but this entry covers the lè reading.

Examples

1. 听了这个笑话，大家都乐了。 After hearing this joke, everyone cracked up.
2. 他看到孩子的样子，乐得不行。 He was so amused by the child's expression that he couldn't stop laughing.
3. 别光自己乐，也让我们看看。 Don't just laugh by yourself — let us see too.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, casual, humour

Tone: cheerful

Do Say

• 这件事让我乐了半天。(This thing had me laughing for ages.)
• 你乐什么呢？(What are you so happy about?)

Don't Say

• 我很乐。(Don't use 乐 with 很 as a simple adjective — say 我很高兴 or 我很开心 instead. 乐 is used more as a verb meaning to crack up or in compounds like 快乐.)

Origin & History

The character 乐 originally depicted a musical instrument on a wooden stand. Music brings happiness, so the character came to mean both music (yuè) and joy (lè).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal