嘘笑(うそわら)い

うそわらい
noun
fake smile; forced laugh
emotioncommunication
1. fake smile; false laugh; forced laugh
A smile or laugh that is not genuine, put on to be polite, to hide discomfort, or to deceive.
嘘笑(うそわら)いでごまかした。
I covered it up with a fake smile.
あの人(ひと)の笑顔(えがお)は嘘笑(うそわら)いだと思(おも)う。
I think that person's smile is fake.
嘘笑(うそわら)いばかりしていると、本当(ほんとう)の笑顔(えがお)を忘(わす)れてしまう。
If you keep putting on fake smiles, you'll forget what a real smile feels like.
上司(じょうし)のつまらない冗談(じょうだん)に嘘笑(うそわら)いで付(つ)き合(あ)った。
I went along with my boss's unfunny joke with a forced laugh.

A compound of 嘘(うそ) (lie) + 笑(わら)い (laugh/smile). Describes an insincere smile or laugh used socially — to be polite, to hide true feelings, or to avoid awkwardness. A very relatable concept in Japanese social life, where maintaining harmony often requires masking one's true reactions.

Common collocations

  • 嘘笑(うそわら)いをする: to fake a smile/laugh
  • 嘘笑(うそわら)いでごまかす: to cover something up with a fake smile
  • 嘘笑(うそわら)いに付(つ)き合(あ)う: to play along with forced laughter

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 愛想笑(あいそわら)い (polite smile, social smile (less…)
Compare: 作(つく)り笑(わら)い (forced smile)
general
Added 2026.3.31 3:24 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
20500/20846_usowarai