Translation guide
How to express 'laugh at' in Japanese, covering mockery, finding something funny, and dismissing with laughter.
To laugh at someone in a mean way, to make fun of them.
To laugh because something is amusing, without necessarily mocking. Often used with jokes or situations.
Use the particle に to indicate what you are laughing at in a neutral or positive sense (a joke, a funny story).
彼の冗談に笑った。
I laughed at his joke.
その話にみんなが笑った。
Everyone laughed at that story.
To laugh off a suggestion, threat, or idea, showing you don't consider it important.
Using を with 笑う often implies mocking or ridiculing the target. Using に with 笑う is more neutral and simply indicates the source of laughter (a joke, a story). Be careful with the particle to avoid unintended rudeness.
He laughed at my mistake.
A stronger, more explicit word for mocking or sneering at someone. Often used in written or formal contexts.
彼らは彼の提案を嘲笑った。
They sneered at his proposal.
Literally 'to make a fool of', this phrase means to ridicule or look down on someone. Very common in speech.
彼はいつも私を馬鹿にする。
He always makes fun of me.
To make someone a laughingstock. Stronger than just laughing at someone.
彼はクラスで笑いものにされた。
He was made a laughingstock in class.
Literally 'see and laugh', used when laughing at something you see (a funny video, a silly face).
その動画を見て笑った。
I laughed at that video.
To laugh something off, to dismiss with laughter. Common in both speech and writing.
彼は私の心配を笑い飛ばした。
He laughed off my worries.
A formal, literary expression meaning to laugh something away or dismiss it as ridiculous.
彼はその批判を一笑に付した。
He dismissed the criticism with a laugh.