幽默

• Pinyin: yōu mò
• Hanzi breakdown: 幽 = 山 + 幺幺, quiet/secluded; 默 = 黑 + 犬, silent — both used phonetically here

Meaning

Humorous; witty. The quality of being amusing or comical in a clever way.

A loanword from English 'humor,' adopted via Japanese in the early 20th century. Describes a refined, intelligent type of wit rather than crude or slapstick comedy. Used to describe people, speech, or situations. Related: 幽默感 (sense of humor).

Examples

1. 他说话很幽默，总能让大家开心。 He speaks humorously and always makes everyone happy.
2. 这位脱口秀演员以幽默的方式讨论社会问题。 This stand-up comedian discusses social issues in a humorous way.
3. 她的幽默感是我最欣赏的地方。 Her sense of humor is what I appreciate most.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, entertainment, personality

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 你真幽默！(You're so funny!)
• 他是个很有幽默感的人。(He's someone with a great sense of humor.)

Don't Say

• 这个笑话太幽默了 (Sounds slightly awkward — for jokes, 搞笑 or 有意思 is more natural)

Origin & History

Phonetic loan from English 'humor' via Japanese ユーモア. 幽 means quiet/secluded and 默 means silent, but here they are purely phonetic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal