Chinese jokes are not only an excellent way to learn the language but also to dive deeper into the culture and humor.
Here are four simple yet hilarious Chinese jokes to enjoy and share with your friends.
Chinese Comedy
Chinese comedy has a long history and includes various genres. Let's explore three of the most popular forms of Chinese comedy.
01. Xiangsheng, or Crosstalk Comedy
Xiangsheng (相声, xiàngsheng) is one of China's most iconic comedic art forms. It typically involves a humorous dialogue between two performers, though solo and multi-person performances also exist.
相声
xiàngsheng
comic crosstalk; sketch
KEY FACTS
Roots back to the 19th century;
Originating from Northern China;
Combines 4 main techniques: speaking, imitating, teasing, and singing.
02. Chinese Skits
Chinese skits (小品 xiǎopǐn) focus on everyday life and relatable humor. These mini-dramas highlight social situations, misunderstandings, and humorous mishaps.
小品
xiǎopǐn
sketch; skit
lit. "little-article"
KEY FACTS
Gained popularity in the 1980s;
Became a staple of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala;
Often feature famous actors and comedians.
03. Short Jokes / Anecdotes
段子 (duànzi) is usually a brief text or spoken joke, sometimes in a few sentences or a short paragraph. They are popular in online platforms, stand-up comedy, and everyday conversations.
段子
duànzi
short jokes; anecdotes
NOTE
You can easily search for the keyword 段子 (duànzi) on any podcast platform to find Chinese comedy artists online and explore modern Chinese humor.
04. Stand-Up Comedy
Adapted from Western-style stand-up, stand-up comedy (清口, qīngkǒu) is a newer phenomenon in China, gaining attraction in major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
清口
qīngkǒu
stand-up comedy
lit. "tasty and refreshing"
NOTE
Shanghai-style stand-up comedy (海派清口, Hǎipài qīngkǒu) was pioneered by comedian Zhou Libo. It features observational humor about Shanghai's fast-paced life, work-life balance, and even the city's high cost of living.
4 Funny and Simple
Jokes in Chinese
Before diving in, let's learn how to say "joke" in Chinese:
笑话
xiàohua
joke
lit. "laugh-talk"
01. Not Simply Handsome 🤵♂️
A: "我好帅"繁体字怎么写？
"Wǒ hǎo shuài" fántǐzì zěnme xiě?
How do you write "I am so handsome" in traditional Chinese characters?
B: 为什么是繁体字？
Wèi shénme shì fántǐzì?
Why traditional Chinese?
A: 因为我不是简单的帅。
Yīnwèi wǒ bú shì jiǎndān de shuài.
Because I'm not simply handsome.
🤓 This joke plays on the similarity between 简体 (jiǎntǐ, simplified characters) and 简单 (jiǎndān, simple). The punchline implies, "I'm not 'simplified' handsome—I'm exceptionally handsome!"
02. Fox 🦊
A: 你知道狐狸为什么站不起来吗？
Nǐ zhīdào húli wèi shénme zhàn bù qǐlái ma?
Do you know why the fox can't stand up?
B: 因为它狡猾。
Yīnwèi tā jiǎohuá.
Because it's cunning.
🤓 狡猾 (jiǎohuá, cunning) sounds like 脚滑 (jiǎo huá, slippery feet), so the fox is both too sly and too slippery to stand up.
03. Hungry Dreams 🌚
A: 为什么睡前一定要吃夜宵?
Wèi shénme shuì qián yídìng yào chī yèxiāo?
Why should you always eat a late-night snack before bed?
B: 因为这样才不会做饿梦。
Yīnwèi zhèyàng cái bú huì zuò è mèng.
Because this way you won't have hungry dreams.
🤓 "饿梦" (è mèng, hungry dreams) sounds like "噩梦" (è mèng, nightmare), making it a pun on avoiding nightmares by staying full.
04. Tired Fish 🐟
A: 为什么鱼游累了也不停下来休息？
Wèi shénme yú yóu lèi le yě bù tíng xiàlái xiūxi?
Why don't fish stop to rest even when they're tired?
B: 因为它们怕被"炒"了。
Yīnwèi tāmen pà bèi "chǎo" le.
Because they're afraid of being "fried."
🤓 "炒" (chǎo) means both "fry" (as in cooking) and "fired" (as in losing a job). So the fish keep swimming to avoid both.
BONUS
📌 Zhou Libo
// Picture source: 百度百科
📌 Chen Peisi
// Picture source: 百度百科
📌 Yang Li
// Picture source: 百度百科
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