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幽默 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
幽默yōumò(loanword) humorHSK 4, a, rank #3716, Hard
幽默yōumòhumorousHSK 4, a, rank #3716, Hard
yōumò(you1mo4) T1
  1. 1(loanword) humor
  2. 2humorous
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March 24, 2026
幽默yōumò(you1mo4)

幽默 refers to the quality of being funny or amusing, often characterized by cleverness and a light-hearted tone. It is commonly used to describe jokes, films, or a person's personality that brings laughter and joy to others. In conversations, it can also refer to the ability to see the lighter side of situations.

Frequency#3716DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

幽默 holds a significant place in Chinese entertainment, particularly in comedy and film. Understanding local humor can provide insights into cultural nuances, as humor often reflects social contexts and shared experiences.

Memory Tip

Imagine a '幽' (yōu) spirit that dances around joyfully, making everyone laugh with its '默' (mò) silent jokes. Picture this spirit performing humorous acts, reminding you that humor often comes from unexpected or subtle moments.

Meanings of 幽默

yōumò(you1mo4)
1(loanword) humor
2humorous
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About 幽默

幽默Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#3716Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2

Podcast: 幽默

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Podcast: 幽默

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AI Study Notes for 幽默

Quick Contrast

幽默 (humor) vs 风趣 (witty) — use 幽默 for a broader sense of humor that includes cleverness, while 风趣 emphasizes a more playful and amusing quality.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a '幽' (yōu) spirit that dances around joyfully, making everyone laugh with its '默' (mò) silent jokes. Picture this spirit performing humorous acts, reminding you that humor often comes from unexpected or subtle moments.

Usage Notes

Be cautious about the context in which you use 幽默; it tends to be more informal, suitable for conversations among friends rather than in formal settings. A common mistake is to confuse 幽默 with 幽静 (quiet), which has a very different meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 幽默 connects well with other adjectives describing personality traits. Focus on using it in sentences to describe people or situations and practice forming questions about humor to enhance conversational skills.

Cultural Note

幽默 holds a significant place in Chinese entertainment, particularly in comedy and film. Understanding local humor can provide insights into cultural nuances, as humor often reflects social contexts and shared experiences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 幽默, confusing the tones; remember that 幽 (yōu) has the first tone and 默 (mò) has the fourth tone. Another mistake is using it with negative contexts, as 幽默 should always imply a positive or light-hearted connotation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 幽默

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Component Characters

幽yōuremote
9 strokes幺
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默mòsilent
16 strokes黑
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Write 幽默

幽
默

Practice writing 幽默 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 幽默

幽默 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他讲话时而____，时而严肃，很有吸引力。

His speech is sometimes humorous, sometimes serious — very engaging.

Example Sentences for 幽默 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我能看出你极具幽默感。

wǒ néng kàn chū nǐ jí jù yōu mò gǎn。

I can see you have a keen sense of humour.
2
这本书充满了萧伯纳独特的爱尔兰式幽默与嘲讽。

zhè běn shū chōng mǎn le xiāo bó nà dú tè de ài ěr lán shì yōu mò yǔ cháo fěng。

This book is suffused with Shaw's characteristic wry Irish humour.
3
这本书诙谐幽默，妙语趣话随处可见。

zhè běn shū huī xié yōu mò， ， miào yǔ qù huà suí chǔ kě。

The book is witty and peppered with good one-liners.
4
他的作品带有一种讽刺意味的幽默。

tā de zuò pǐn dài yǒu yī zhǒng fěng cì yì wèi de yōu mò。

There is a wry sense of humour in his work.
5
他极富魅力而且非常有幽默感。

tā jí fù mèi lì ér qiě fēi cháng yǒu yōu mò gǎn。

He had enormous charm and a great sense of humour.
6
人有点吸引力和幽默感总是好的。

rén yǒu diǎn xī yǐn lì hé yōu mò gǎn zǒng shì hǎo de。

A bit of charm and humour would not go amiss.
7
沙伦以幽默自嘲的口吻讲述那一夜的故事。

shā lún yǐ yōu mò zì cháo de kǒu wěn jiǎng shù nà yī yè de gù shì。

Sharon tells the story of that night with self-deprecating humour.
8
那是他极不常见的想要表现幽默的一次。

nà shì tā jí bù cháng jiàn de xiǎng yào biǎo xiàn yōu mò de yī cì。

It was one of his rare attempts at humour.
9
那是一堆枯燥乏味、毫无幽默感的废话。

nà shì yī duī kū zào fá wèi、 、 háo wú yōu mò gǎn de fèi。

It is a tedious, humourless load of crap.
10
他有一种活泼外向的幽默感，看上去大方自信。

tā yǒu yī zhǒng huó pō wài xiàng de yōu mò gǎn， ， kàn shàng qù dà fāng zì。

He has a lively sense of humour and appears naturally confident.

Cultural Notes for 幽默

🏮Cultural insight

幽默 holds a significant place in Chinese entertainment, particularly in comedy and film. Understanding local humor can provide insights into cultural nuances, as humor often reflects social contexts and shared experiences.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While humor is appreciated globally, Chinese humor often relies more on wordplay and cultural references, whereas Western humor may lean towards sarcasm or physical comedy.

Frequently Asked Questions about 幽默

You can say '他是一个很幽默的人' (He is a very humorous person).