开玩笑的
kāiwánxiào de
In Chinese, 'just kidding' is expressed as 开玩笑的 (kāiwánxiào de).
开玩笑的 is used to indicate that you were not being serious and that what you previously said was only a joke.
Meaning: I wasn’t serious, it was only a joke (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is built from the verb 开玩笑 (kāiwánxiào), which means 'to play a joke' or 'to joke around'.
Which one should you use?
You might use 逗你玩呢 (dòu nǐ wán ne) for a more colloquial and playful 'just teasing you'. If your joke specifically involved a lighthearted lie, you can use 骗你的 (piàn nǐ de), which means 'I'm tricking/lying to you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 的 (de) to the end of the verb 开玩笑 (kāiwánxiào) creates the colloquial expression 开玩笑的 (kāiwánxiào de).
How do you pronounce it?
kāiwánxiào de
Did you know?
- The word 逗 (dòu) in 逗你玩呢 was originally used to describe the action of teasing an animal or enticing a bird to move.
- Depending on the tone of voice, 开玩笑的 can be used sarcastically to imply that the other person is being ridiculously unrealistic, rather than admitting one's own joke.
- While English speakers use 'just kidding' to diffuse tension, using 开玩笑的 too often in Chinese can sometimes make a person seem unreliable or lacking in seriousness.
Examples in context
- 我没生气，只是开玩笑而已。I'm not mad, I'm just kidding.
- 别担心，我只是开个玩笑。Don't worry, I'm just kidding.
- 别当真，我开玩笑的。Don't take it seriously, I'm just kidding.
- 别生气，我是在开玩笑的。Bié shēngqì, wǒ shì zài kāiwánxiào de.Don't be angry, I was just kidding.
Example conversation
Haoran tells Xiaowen he lost her book, but then reveals it's a joke.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，我的书在哪儿？Hàorán, wǒ de shū zài nǎ'er?Haoran, where is my book?
- 浩然 Haoran我不小心把它弄丢了。Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ tā nòng diū le.I accidentally lost it.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen真的吗？你太让我失望了。Zhēn de ma? Nǐ tài ràng wǒ shīwàng le.Really? You let me down so much.
- 浩然 Haoran别担心，我是在开玩笑的。Bié dānxīn, wǒ shì zài kāiwánxiào de.Don't worry, I was just kidding.
