强颜欢笑 Qiǎng Yán Huān Xiào forced laughter

Explanation

强颜欢笑指的是心里不高兴，脸上却装出笑容的样子。它形容一个人内心痛苦，却不得不伪装快乐的情绪。

Forced laughter refers to a situation where one's heart is unhappy, but one's face shows a smile. It depicts a person's inner suffering yet having to disguise their happy mood.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个秀才名叫李华，参加科举考试屡屡落榜，家中父母对他寄予厚望，他只能强颜欢笑，默默承受着压力，为了不让父母失望，他不得不努力准备下一场考试，最终金榜题名，实现了他的梦想。

huì shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè xiù cái míng jiào lǐ huá, cān jiā kē jǔ kǎoshì lǚ lǚ luò bǎng, jiā zhōng fù mǔ duì tā jì yǔ hòu wàng, tā zhǐ néng qiǎng yán huān xiào, mòmò chéng shòu zhe yā lì, wèi le bù ràng fù mǔ shī wàng, tā bù dé bù nǔ lì zhǔnbèi xià yī chǎng kǎoshì, zuì zhōng jīn bǎng tí míng, shíxiàn le tā de mèng xiǎng.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was a scholar named Li Hua who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. His parents had high hopes for him, so he could only force a smile and silently bear the pressure. In order not to disappoint his parents, he had to work hard to prepare for the next examination, and eventually succeeded, realizing his dream.

Usage

强颜欢笑通常用于描写一个人表面上很开心，但实际上内心并不快乐的情况。

qiǎng yán huān xiào tóng cháng yòng yú miáo xiě yī gè rén biǎomiàn shàng hěn kāi xīn, dàn shíjì shang nèixīn bìng bù kuài lè de qíng kuàng.

Forced laughter is usually used to describe a situation where a person appears happy on the surface, but is actually unhappy inside.

Examples

• 他强颜欢笑地对我说没事，但我看得出他心里很难过。

  tā qiǎng yán huān xiào de duì wǒ shuō méi shì, dàn wǒ kàn de chū tā xīn lǐ hěn nánguò.

  He forced a smile and told me everything was fine, but I could tell he was very upset.

• 虽然考试失利，但他还是强颜欢笑地面对家人。

  suīrán kǎoshì shī lì, dàn tā háishì qiǎng yán huān xiào de miànduì jiārén.

  Despite failing the exam, he still forced a smile for his family.

Related Idioms

• 苦笑

• 假笑

Opposite Idioms

• 喜笑颜开

• 眉开眼笑