前仰后合

前仰後合

qiányǎng-hòuhé

idiom HSK 7-9

Meanings

1 to rock back and forth with laughter
2 to double over laughing

Characters

to lean back; to look up

to close; to fold together

Literally 'leaning forward and falling backward' - describes the body rocking uncontrollably from laughing too hard.

Examples

HSK 2

他讲的笑话让大家笑得前仰后合。

Tā jiǎng de xiàohua ràng dàjiā xiào de qiányǎng-hòuhé.

The joke he told had everyone doubled over laughing.

HSK 7-9

观众们被这个小品逗得前仰后合。

Guānzhòng men bèi zhège xiǎopǐn dòu de qiányǎng-hòuhé.

The audience was in stitches from the comedy sketch.

Tips

usage

Almost always used with 笑得 ('laughed so hard that...'). It's the go-to idiom for describing someone laughing uncontrollably - you'll see it constantly in descriptions of comedy shows and 春晚 (Spring Festival Gala) sketches.

Stroke Order

前 qián

仰 yǎng

后 hòu

合 hé