笑(わら)い

わらい

noun

laughter, laugh, smile

1. laughter, laugh

The sound and act of laughing.

笑(わら)いが起(お)きた。

Laughter erupted.

笑(わら)いが止(と)まらない。

I can't stop laughing.

笑(わら)い声(ごえ)が聞(き)こえる。

I can hear laughter.

お笑(わら)い番組(ばんぐみ)を見(み)て大(おお)笑(わら)いした。

I burst out laughing watching a comedy show.

彼(かれ)は笑(わら)いを取(と)るのが上手(じょうず)で、いつも部屋(へや)の中(なか)が明(あか)るくなる。

He's good at getting laughs, and he always brightens up the room.

2. smile

A facial expression showing amusement or pleasure.

彼女(かのじょ)の顔(かお)に笑(わら)いが広(ひろ)がった。

A smile spread across her face.

口元(くちもと)に笑(わら)いを浮(う)かべた。

A smile played on her lips.

赤(あか)ちゃんの笑(わら)いは周(まわ)りを幸(しあわ)せにする。

A baby's smile makes everyone around happy.

苦(にが)笑(わら)いを浮(う)かべながら、「そうですね」と言(い)った。

With a bitter smile, he said "I suppose so."

彼(かれ)の顔(かお)には作(つく)り笑(わら)いが浮(う)かんでいた。本当(ほんとう)は楽(たの)しくないのだろう。

A fake smile appeared on his face. He probably wasn't actually enjoying himself.

笑(わら)い is the noun form of 笑(わら)う (to laugh).

Common patterns

笑(わら)いが止(と)まらない (can't stop laughing)
笑(わら)いを取(と)る (to get a laugh)
笑(わら)い声(ごえ) (laughing voice, laughter)

Types

大(おお)笑(わら)い (loud laugh, burst of laughter)
苦(にが)笑(わら)い (bitter/wry laugh)
作(つく)り笑(わら)い (fake laugh)
愛想(あいそ)笑(わら)い (polite/forced smile)

Watch out

On its own, 笑(わら)い usually means laughter. For a plain smile, 笑顔(えがお) (a smiling face) or 笑(え)み / 微笑(ほほえ)み is more usual; 笑い means a smile mainly in compounds such as 苦笑(にがわら)い and 作(つく)り笑(わら)い, or with 浮(う)かべる.

Compounds

笑(わら)い話(ばなし) (funny story)
お笑(わら)い (comedy)

Related Words

Related: 笑(わら)う (to laugh (verb))

Compare: ユーモア (humor)

core

Added 2026.1.11 15:43 · Revised 2026.10.10 3:33

02500/02641_warai