jat1 siu3 zi3 zi1一笑置之
Jyutpingjat1 siu3 zi3 zi1
Yaleyāt siu ji jī
Definition
To dismiss something with a laugh; to shrug off or not take something seriously.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
Carries a sense of maturity and emotional detachment, suggesting that the speaker is above the pettiness of others. It is often used to describe someone who has the confidence to ignore insults or negative gossip without feeling the need to retaliate. Unlike simply ignoring someone, this implies a specific reaction of amusement or dismissiveness.
Examples
Facing those boring criticisms, he just laughed them off.
Why are you taking it so seriously? Just laugh it off.
Related words
Common phrases
an attitude of laughing it off
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe laughing at something genuinely funny or joyful, as it specifically refers to handling negative situations like criticism or mockery with a dismissive attitude.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
