ceoi2 siu3取笑
Jyutpingceoi2 siu3
Yalechéui siu
Definition
To laugh at, tease, or make fun of someone.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a negative connotation of mockery or belittling, often implying that the person being teased feels embarrassed or hurt. While it can be used for lighthearted banter among close friends, it is more frequently used to describe unkind behavior. It is distinct from 講笑, which is neutral and refers to telling jokes without the intent to target or shame someone.
Examples
Stop making fun of other people's looks all the time.
He was teased by his classmates for a long time because he said the wrong thing.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 講笑. Remember that 取笑 specifically involves targeting someone's flaws or characteristics to make them feel uncomfortable, whereas 講笑 is simply joking around.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
