godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
Intransitive use for laughing aloud or reacting with laughter, often with に for what causes the laughter.
彼の冗談にみんなが笑った。
Everyone laughed at his joke.
godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
Also means to smile, especially when the expression is gentle or quiet rather than loud laughter.
写真の中で彼女は優しく笑っている。
In the photo, she is smiling gently.
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
Transitive use meaning to laugh at someone or something in a mocking way. The rare spelling 嗤う especially emphasizes sneering or contempt.
人の失敗を笑うのはよくない。
It is not good to laugh at other people's failures.
彼は相手の無知を嗤った。
He sneered at the other person's ignorance.
godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
be dumbfounded; be flabbergasted; can only laugh
Used mainly in the patterns 笑ってしまう and casual 笑っちゃう, expressing stunned disbelief, exasperation, or absurdity rather than simple amusement.
請求額を見て、あまりの高さに笑ってしまった。
When I saw the bill, I was dumbfounded by how high it was.
ここまで話が通じないと、もう笑っちゃうよ。
When they understand this little, all you can do is laugh in disbelief.