冷笑

• Pinyin: lěng xiào
• Hanzi breakdown: 冷 = 冫(ice) + 令 (command); 笑 = 竹 (bamboo) + 夭 (young/bent — mimicking laughter)

Meaning

To sneer; to laugh coldly or scornfully. A derisive, contemptuous laugh conveying mockery rather than genuine amusement.

Distinct from 嘲笑 (to mock or ridicule) in that 冷笑 implies a subtle, restrained form of derision, often with a menacing edge. Frequently used in literary descriptions of antagonists or figures of power who look down on others. One cold laugh often communicates more disdain than words.

Examples

1. 听到对方的解释，他只是冷笑一声，没有说任何话。 Hearing the other side’s explanation, he let out a cold sneer and said nothing.
2. 她冷笑着看着他狼狈离场，丝毫没有表示同情的意思。 She watched him leave in embarrassment with a sneer, without the slightest hint of sympathy.
3. 那位老练的律师对控方的说辞报以轻蔑的冷笑。 The seasoned lawyer responded to the prosecution’s claims with a contemptuous sneer.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, interpersonal, narrative

Tone: contemptuous

Do Say

• 他冷笑了一声，转身离开了房间。(He let out a cold sneer, then turned and walked out of the room.)
• 面对挑衅，她选择用冷笑回应，而非正面争论。(Faced with the provocation, she chose to respond with a sneer rather than a direct argument.)

Don't Say

• 将冷笑与苦笑混用 — 冷笑含轻蔑鄙视之意，苦笑是无奈或痛苦时的勉强微笑，情感色彩截然不同

Origin & History

冷 (cold) + 笑 (laugh/smile)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal