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| 喜剧 [2025/08/13 20:01] – created xiaoer | 喜剧 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== xǐjù: 喜剧 - Comedy, Play ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** xiju, 喜剧, Chinese comedy, comedy in Chinese, Chinese humor, what is xiju, Chinese plays, crosstalk, xiangsheng, Chinese comedy films, learn Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **喜剧 (xǐjù)**, the Chinese word for comedy. This comprehensive guide covers everything from modern comedy films and stand-up (脱口秀, tuōkǒu xiù) to traditional performance arts like crosstalk (相声, xiàngsheng). Learn how to use **喜剧 (xǐjù)** in conversation, understand its cultural significance in Chinese humor, and see why it's a fundamental term for anyone interested in Chinese movies, theater, and pop culture. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xǐjù | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** A play, movie, or performance intended to be humorous and make an audience laugh; comedy. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **喜剧 (xǐjù)** is the universal Chinese term for the genre of comedy. If you're talking about a funny movie, a hilarious play, a TV sitcom, or a stand-up special, this is the word you'll use. It functions almost exactly like the English word "comedy" when referring to a type of artistic work. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **喜 (xǐ):** This character means "joy," "happiness," or "to like." It's composed of a drum (鼓) on a stand, representing celebration and joyous occasions. Think of the happiness you feel at a party or festival. | |
| * **剧 (jù):** This character means "drama," "play," or "theatrical performance." The character originally depicted a fierce struggle, but its meaning evolved to encompass the intense emotions and plot of a drama. | |
| * When combined, **喜剧 (xǐjù)** literally translates to "joyful drama," a perfect and intuitive description for comedy. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| **喜剧 (xǐjù)** is a cornerstone of Chinese entertainment, but the flavor of Chinese humor can differ from the West. While slapstick and physical comedy are universal, much of Chinese comedy is deeply rooted in language and social observation. | |
| A key cultural touchstone is **相声 (xiàngsheng)**, or "crosstalk," a traditional comedic dialogue between two performers that is famous for its masterful use of puns, wordplay, and witty banter. Another is **小品 (xiǎopǐn)**, or "skits," which are short, satirical plays that often highlight social absurdities. These are staples of the annual CCTV New Year's Gala (春晚 chūnwǎn) and are watched by hundreds of millions of people. | |
| Compared to some direct, and often confrontational, Western stand-up comedy, traditional Chinese humor often favors subtlety and indirectness. It can be a way to gently critique social phenomena or frustrations without causing direct offense, aligning with the cultural value of maintaining social harmony (和谐 héxié). However, with the recent explosion of **脱口秀 (tuōkǒu xiù)**, or stand-up comedy, in major Chinese cities, more direct and personal styles of humor are becoming increasingly popular among younger generations. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **喜剧 (xǐjù)** is an everyday word used by everyone. | |
| * **In Film and TV:** People will talk about their favorite **喜剧片 (xǐjùpiàn - comedy film)** or **喜剧演员 (xǐjù yǎnyuán - comedian/comedic actor)**. A TV series that is a comedy is also simply called a **喜剧**. | |
| * **Describing Performances:** You would use it to buy tickets for a play, distinguishing it from a tragedy, e.g., "我想买两张**喜剧**的票 ( | |