哭笑不得

kūxiào-bùdé

idiom HSK 7-9 #37,414

Meanings

HSK 5

孩子把墙画满了画，让她哭笑不得。

Háizi bǎ qiáng huà mǎn le huà, ràng tā kūxiào-bùdé.

The child covered the wall with drawings, leaving her not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

HSK 5

他闹的笑话让大家哭笑不得。

Tā nào de xiàohua ràng dàjiā kūxiào-bùdé.

His antics left everyone not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

usage

Used when a situation is so absurd or awkward that you can neither properly laugh nor properly cry - a mix of amusement and exasperation.

哭 kū

笑 xiào

不 bù

得 de