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微笑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
微笑wēixiàosmileHSK 5, vn, rank #2368, Medium
微笑wēixiào>个[gè],絲HSK 5, vn, rank #2368, Medium
微笑wēixiào>丝[sī]HSK 5, vn, rank #2368, Medium
微笑wēixiàoto smileHSK 5, vn, rank #2368, Medium
wēixiào(wei1xiao4) T1
  1. 1smile
  2. 2>个[gè],絲
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March 24, 2026
微笑wēixiào(wei1xiao4)

微笑 (wēi xiào) means 'smile' and can refer to both the physical act of smiling and the expression of happiness or friendliness. It is commonly used in everyday conversations to describe a warm, gentle smile, often conveying kindness or approachability.

Frequency#2368DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, a 微笑 can represent politeness and is often used in situations where direct communication may be avoided, such as when greeting someone or in customer service interactions.

Memory Tip

Think of 微 (wēi) as a 'wee' bit of happiness, and 笑 (xiào) sounds like 'shout' but in a cheerful way. Imagine someone letting out a soft, gentle shout of joy when they see you, which results in a微笑 on their face.

Meanings of 微笑

wēixiào(wei1xiao4)
1smile
2to smile
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About 微笑

微笑Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#2368Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 微笑

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Podcast: 微笑

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AI Study Notes for 微笑

Quick Contrast

微笑 (wēixiào) vs 笑 (xiào): use 微笑 for a gentle or warm smile, while 笑 is more general and can imply laughter.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 微 (wēi) as a 'wee' bit of happiness, and 笑 (xiào) sounds like 'shout' but in a cheerful way. Imagine someone letting out a soft, gentle shout of joy when they see you, which results in a微笑 on their face.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 微笑 with 笑 (xiào) which can also mean 'to laugh.' 微笑 is often used in formal contexts or when describing a gentle smile, whereas 笑 can be more casual. Common collocations include 微笑着 (smiling) and 露出微笑 (show a smile).

HSK Study Tips

As HSK Level 5 vocabulary, 微笑 connects with other words related to emotions and expressions, like 开心 (kāi xīn, happy) or 愉快 (yú kuài, joyful). Focus on using it in sentences to describe emotions or reactions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, a 微笑 can represent politeness and is often used in situations where direct communication may be avoided, such as when greeting someone or in customer service interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 微笑 with 笑, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我喜欢笑' (wǒ xǐ huān xiào) when they mean 'I like to smile' should be corrected to '我喜欢微笑' (wǒ xǐ huān wēi xiào).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 微笑

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Component Characters

微Wēiancient Chinese state near present day Chongqing
HSK 713 strokes彳
View full entry
笑xiàoto smile, to laugh; to giggle; to snicker
HSK 210 strokes⺮
View full entry

Write 微笑

微
笑

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

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Grammar Patterns of 微笑

微笑 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 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 lessons2
Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

他虽失败了，却仍然____面对。

Although he failed, he still faced it with a smile.

Example Sentences for 微笑 (10)

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1
我发现当我们的目光相遇时，我本能地还以微笑。

wǒ fā xiàn dāng wǒ mén de mù guāng xiāng yù shí， ， wǒ běn néng dì huán yǐ wēi。

I found myself smiling back instinc-tively when our eyes met.
2
托尼微笑着举起杯子。“为你干一杯，埃米。”

tuō ní wēi xiào zháo jǔ qǐ bēi zǐ。“ 。“ wéi nǐ gān yī， bēi ，。”

Tony smiled and lifted his glass. "Here's to you, Amy."
3
厨师的薄唇一弯，露出一丝不易察觉的微笑。

chú shī de báo chún yī wān， ， lòu chū yī sī bù yì chá jué de wēi。

A small, unobtrusive smile curved the cook's thin lips.
4
一丝怀旧的微笑浮现在她的脸上。

yī sī huái jiù de wēi xiào fú xiàn zài tā de liǎn shàng。

A faint smile of reminiscence appeared on her face..
5
法林微笑示意，又躬身行了个礼。

fǎ lín wēi xiào shì yì， ， yòu gōng shēn háng le gè。

Farling smiled in acknowledgement and gave a bow.
6
我热情地微笑着,所以他不会看出我的紧张.

wǒ rè qíng dì wēi xiào zháo, , suǒ yǐ tā bù huì kàn chū wǒ de jǐn.

I smiled warmly so he wouldn't see my nervousness.
7
女服务员看着他，脸上带着一丝局促不安的微笑。

nǚ fú wù yuán kàn zháo tā， ， liǎn shàng dài zháo yī sī jú cù bù ān de wēi。

The maid looked at him, a nervous smile on her face.
8
他们的车快速前行时，韦罗妮卡面带微笑地看着他。

tā mén de chē kuài sù qián háng shí， ， wéi luó nī kǎ miàn dài wēi xiào dì kàn zháo。

Veronica looked at him, smiling, as they bowled along.
9
他朝我看过来的时候，我微笑着挥了挥手。

tā zhāo wǒ kàn guò lái de shí hòu， ， wǒ wēi xiào zháo huī le huī。

When he looked towards me, I smiled and waved.
10
他微笑着，一边沉思，一边搅动着几乎空了的杯子里的冰块。

tā wēi xiào zháo， ， yī biān chén， sī ， yī biān jiǎo dòng zháo jī hū kōng le de bēi zǐ lǐ de。

He smiles and swirls the ice ruminatively around his almost empty glass.

Cultural Notes for 微笑

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, a 微笑 can represent politeness and is often used in situations where direct communication may be avoided, such as when greeting someone or in customer service interactions.

Frequently Asked Questions about 微笑

微笑 specifically refers to a gentle smile, while 笑 is a broader term that encompasses laughing or smiling more broadly.