插科打诨

插科打諢

chākē-dǎhùn

idiom #45,690

Meanings

1 to crack jokes
2 to inject comic banter
3 buffoonery (especially on stage)

Characters

stage action (in opera)

joke, witty patter

Examples

他在会议上不停地插科打诨。

Tā zài huìyì shàng bùtíng de chākēdǎhùn.

He kept cracking jokes throughout the meeting.

这个相声演员最擅长插科打诨。

Zhège xiàngshēng yǎnyuán zuì shàncháng chākēdǎhùn.

This crosstalk performer is best at comic banter.

别老是插科打诨，我们在谈正事。

Biélǎo shì chākēdǎhùn, wǒmen zài tán zhèngshì.

Stop clowning around — we're discussing serious matters.

Tips

history

Originally a theatrical term. 科 refers to stage movements and expressions in classical Chinese opera, 诨 to witty patter. The phrase appears in Gao Ming's Ming-dynasty play 《琵琶记》.

memory

Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of 'stage business' or 'comic relief' — the actor inserts (插) a bit of schtick (科) and cracks (打) a joke (诨).

Stroke Order

插 chā

科 kē

打 dǎ

诨 hùn