joke
/dʒəʊk/ (bre, ipa) · /dʒəʊk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjōk/ (ame, mw) · /dʒoʊk/ (ame, ipa)
joke — 名詞
1. a short funny story, a clever remark, or a playful action that a person says or
笑話；玩笑
使人發笑的故事或言行
a short funny story, a clever remark, or a playful action that a person says or does to make other people laugh.
Saira told a funny joke about a parrot and a pirate at the party.
Saira 在派對上講了一個關於鸚鵡和海盜的有趣笑話。
tell + joke + about [topic]
The comedian's joke about traffic jams made the whole audience laugh out loud.
那位喜劇演員關於塞車的笑話讓全場觀眾都大笑了起來。
joke + about [topic]
Kenji played a practical joke by hiding his brother's phone in a loaf of bread.
Kenji 開了一個惡作劇的玩笑，把哥哥的手機藏在一條麵包裡面。
Dahlia did not understand the joke until Ramón explained the pun at the end.
Dahlia 聽不懂那個笑話，直到 Ramón 解釋了結尾的雙關語。
A good joke can turn a boring meeting into a room full of laughter.
一個好的笑話可以把沉悶的會議變成充滿笑聲的場合。
文法句型
a + joke
joke + about + noun phrase
tell + joke
用法筆記
Countable noun. Common verb partners include tell, make, get, and crack. A practical joke is a trick played on someone physically rather than a spoken story.
常見錯誤
2. the humorous quality or content of something that a person either understands an
笑點
理解幽默的趣味核心
the humorous quality or content of something that a person either understands and enjoys, or fails to appreciate.
Baraka laughed loudly, showing that he got the joke immediately.
Baraka 大笑了出來，顯示他立刻就聽懂了那個笑點。
get the joke: understand the humour
Poor Zayd did not get the joke and looked confused while everyone else laughed.
可憐的 Zayd 沒聽懂笑點，在大家都笑的時候一臉困惑。
My grandfather cannot take a joke and always gets offended when we tease him.
我爺爺開不起玩笑，我們一逗他他就生氣。
The joke was lost on the younger children, who were too sleepy to follow it.
年紀較小的孩子們完全沒領會到那個笑點，因為他們太睏了，跟不上劇情。
Amihan is a good sport who can take a joke and laugh at herself afterwards.
Amihan 是個能開得起玩笑的人，事後還能對自己哈哈大笑。
- humour
broader term for the quality of being funny; 'joke' in this sense is narrower, referring to a specific instance or its reception
文法句型
can't take a joke
get the joke
用法筆記
This sense appears mainly in fixed phrases such as get the joke (understand the humour) or can/can't take a joke (accept or be offended by humour). The noun is uncountable here — you would not say 'a good joke understanding'.
3. someone or something that is so ridiculous, badly run, or poorly made that nobod
笑柄
很差勁或可笑的人事物
someone or something that is so ridiculous, badly run, or poorly made that nobody can treat it with respect.
The hotel cooking class was a total joke because the chef forgot all the ingredients.
那間飯店的烹飪課簡直是個笑話，因為主廚忘了帶所有食材。
be a joke: be ridiculously bad
That politician became a joke after promising to build a bridge between two connected islands.
那位政治人物成了笑柄，因為他承諾在兩個已經相連的島之間蓋一座橋。
The public buses in this town are a joke because they never arrive on time.
這個城鎮的公車是個笑話，因為它們從來沒有準時到過。
After falling asleep during the match, the referee was a joke among the football fans.
在比賽中睡著之後，那位裁判成了足球迷之間的笑柄。
- laughingstock
stronger and more informal; a person who everyone laughs at
- farce
a situation that is a disorganized failure; slightly more formal
文法句型
be a joke
someone is a joke
something is a joke
用法筆記
Informal and often critical. Singular only — you would not say 'these are jokes' in this sense. Typically follows 'be a joke' or 'become a joke'.
常見錯誤
joke — 動詞
1. to say things or tell stories that are intended to make people laugh.
說笑
說好笑的話使人發笑
to say things or tell stories that are intended to make people laugh.
Ramón likes to joke about his terrible cooking, but his food actually tastes great.
Ramón 喜歡拿自己糟糕的廚藝說笑，但他的食物其實很好吃。
joke + about [topic]
The two friends joked with each other throughout the long bus ride to Taipei.
那兩個朋友在前往台北的漫長巴士車程中互相說笑。
joke + with [person]
Saira was joking and laughing with her colleagues during the lunch break yesterday.
Saira 昨天午休時間和同事們說說笑笑。
The teacher joked that the homework was so light it might float away before morning.
那位老師開玩笑說，作業輕到可能會在早上之前飄走。
People often joke about the weather in this city because it changes every fifteen minutes.
大家常常拿這個城市的天氣說笑，因為它每十五分鐘就變一次。
文法句型
joke + about + noun phrase
joke + with + person
用法筆記
Intransitive — you joke about a topic or with a person, but not 'joke something'. Common patterns: joke about [topic], joke with [person], joke that [clause].
常見錯誤
2. to speak in a playful or teasing way without intending what you say to be taken
開玩笑
並非當真地說
to speak in a playful or teasing way without intending what you say to be taken as the truth, often used when the other person is surprised by a statement.
Zayd said the dog ate his homework, but the teacher knew he was joking.
Zayd 說狗吃掉了他的作業，但老師知道他在開玩笑。
be joking: not serious
You must be joking if you think I'll swim across that freezing lake in January.
如果你以為我會在一月游過那座冰冷刺骨的湖，那你一定是在開玩笑。
must be joking: expressing disbelief
When Amani offered to pay for everyone's dinner, we assumed she was only joking.
當 Amani 說要幫所有人付晚餐錢時，我們以為她只是在開玩笑。
When the boss said we had to work all weekend, we hoped she was joking.
當老闆說我們週末必須加班時，我們都希望她只是在開玩笑。
- mean
'to be serious about what you say' — opposite of joking in this sense
文法句型
be joking
must be joking
you're joking
用法筆記
Almost always used in continuous forms (be joking). Frequently occurs in negative contexts (I'm not joking) or as an exclamation of disbelief (You must be joking!). Rarely used in past simple without context.