joking
joking — verb
- jokingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- jokings3rd person singular
- jokinging-ing form
- jokingedpast simple
1. to say things that are meant to be funny so that others will laugh
to say things that are meant to be funny so that others will laugh
Chen was joking with the nurses, and soon the whole ward felt lighter.
joke with + person
Guo kept joking through the long car trip to keep his sister awake.
Umi sat joking with her cousins on the old wooden bench outside the shop.
Eva joked about her terrible cooking, and everyone at the table laughed.
The pilot was joking over the speaker, which helped calm the nervous passengers.
- kid
more informal; often suggests light teasing rather than telling jokes
- jest
formal or old-fashioned; rare in everyday speech
- fool around
suggests silly behaviour more than spoken humour
文法句型
joke about + topic
joke with + person
joke that + clause
常見錯誤
2. to say something without genuinely meaning it, usually in a light-hearted way
to say something without genuinely meaning it, usually in a light-hearted way
Chen said he was leaving the team, but everyone knew he was only joking.
be only joking
Guo told his mother he had failed the exam, then grinned and said he was joking.
Umi looked serious when she said the fridge was empty, but she was joking.
Eva's face turned red when she realised her boss was not joking about the deadline.
Keiko told the children she had seen a ghost, then admitted she was only joking.
- kid
more often used when teasing a specific person
- tease
implies making fun of someone in a playful way
- pull someone's leg
idiomatic phrase with the same meaning; informal
文法句型
be joking
be only joking
must be joking
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the progressive form 'be joking'. Distinguish from verb/1 (MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH): this sense is about saying something untrue on purpose, not about being funny.
常見錯誤
joking — noun
1. a short amusing story with a punchline, or a playful trick, meant to get others
a short amusing story with a punchline, or a playful trick, meant to get others laughing
Chen told a joke about a talking horse, and the whole room burst out laughing.
tell a joke
Guo's favourite joke involves two fish who argue about the temperature of the sea.
Umi played a harmless joke on her brother by hiding his shoes under the sofa.
The joke about the penguin in a taxi had the whole bus laughing on the way home.
Eva sent a joke to the family chat every morning before anyone else woke up.
文法句型
tell a joke
play a joke on
crack a joke
常見錯誤
2. someone or something that people see as foolish, worthless, or not worth taking
someone or something that people see as foolish, worthless, or not worth taking seriously
Chen gave a terrible speech and became the joke of the entire department for weeks.
become the joke of + group
Guo's old bicycle was a joke — it creaked and wobbled down every street.
The referee was a complete joke; he missed three obvious fouls in ten minutes.
Eva worried that her broken English made her the joke of the class.
Keiko bought a cheap umbrella that was a joke — the handle snapped the moment she opened it.
- laughingstock
stronger; emphasises being mocked publicly by many people
- disgrace
stronger; carries a moral judgement about shame or failure
- farce
emphasises absurdity and disorder, often used for events or situations
文法句型
be a joke
become a joke
a complete joke
用法筆記
Always carries a negative judgement. Often used with 'a' or 'complete': 'a joke', 'a complete joke'. Distinguish from noun/1 (AMUSING STORY OR TRICK): this sense describes a person or thing as ridiculous or worthless, not something meant to be funny.