When you put them all together, 冷笑话 (lěngxiàohuà) literally translates to “cold joke.” The name perfectly captures its function: it's a joke that stops laughter cold.
The concept of a `冷笑话` is a cornerstone of modern, informal Chinese humor. Its popularity is fueled by two major cultural and linguistic factors: 1. The Power of Puns (谐音 - xiéyīn): The Chinese language has a huge number of homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings and characters). This makes it incredibly fertile ground for puns. A massive number of `冷笑话` are built on this kind of wordplay, where a word is used in an unexpected context because it sounds like another word. 2. Internet Culture: `冷笑话` thrive on social media platforms like Weibo and Douyin. They are easily shareable in short text formats, comics, or short videos. This online culture has turned what might be considered “bad jokes” into a specific, appreciated genre of humor. Comparison to Western “Dad Jokes”: The closest Western equivalent is the “dad joke.” Both are:
The main difference is subtle. While dad jokes are associated with, well, dads, `冷笑话` are used by people of all ages, especially young people online. They can also sometimes be more surreal or nonsensical than a typical pun-based dad joke. The core feeling of shared, good-natured awkwardness, however, is nearly identical.
`冷笑话` is a highly informal term. You'll encounter it constantly in casual, relaxed settings.