前仰后合

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: qián yǎng hòu hé
• English Translation: To rock back and forth with laughter, to roar with laughter
• Idiom Composition: 「前」（Forward）＋「仰」（To lean back）＋「后」（Backward）＋「合」（To close, here close to 'to fall'）
• Meaning: Describes the body swaying back and forth. It mainly refers to laughing so hard that one's body rocks back and forth.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「前仰后合」 contains the following nuances:

• Roaring laughter: Describes not just a simple laugh, but a state of uncontrollable laughter due to something very amusing.
• Physical expression: Expresses the intensity of laughter through body movements.
• Involuntary movement: Suggests being unable to control one's body due to excessive laughter.

3. Usage

「前仰后合」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing laughter: Used to describe someone laughing intensely.
  • Example:「听到这个笑话，他笑得前仰后合，几乎站不稳。」
    （Hearing this joke, he rocked back and forth with laughter, almost unable to stand.）
• Explaining an amusing situation: Used to explain that something very amusing has happened.
  • Example:「看到喜剧电影里滑稽的情节，观众们前仰后合，笑声不断。」
    （Watching the comical scenes in the comedy movie, the audience roared with laughter, and the laughter was continuous.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他讲了一个非常有趣的故事，让在场的人都笑得前仰后合。
   （He told a very amusing story that made everyone present rock back and forth with laughter.）
2. 孩子们在游乐场玩得不亦乐乎，笑声此起彼伏，前仰后合。
   （The children were having a great time at the amusement park, their laughter rising and falling, roaring with laughter.）
3. 她讲了一个笑话，让整个办公室的人都笑得前仰后合，气氛轻松愉快。
   （She told a joke that made everyone in the office rock back and forth with laughter, and the atmosphere became relaxed and pleasant.）
4. 小丑的表演太滑稽了，逗得孩子们前仰后合。
   （The clown's performance was so funny that it made the children roar with laughter.）
5. 朋友们聚在一起，回忆起当年那些糗事，一个个笑得前仰后合。
   （Friends gathered together, recalling embarrassing moments from the past, and each one rocked back and forth with laughter.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Expression of humor: In Chinese culture, humor plays an important role in smoothing social relationships, and laughter is considered beneficial for stress relief and health. '前仰后合' is one of the expressions that vividly convey humor and laughter in this cultural context.
• Usage context: '前仰后合' is a relatively casual expression. In formal situations, more reserved expressions are usually preferred.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 捧腹大笑 (pěng fǔ dà xiào): To hold one's belly and laugh heartily.
  • 笑不可支 (xiào bù kě zhī): Unable to stop laughing.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn): To have a worried and sad expression.
  • 闷闷不乐 (mèn mèn bú lè): To be depressed, to be unhappy.

6. Summary

'前仰后合' is an idiom that vividly describes roaring with laughter. By using this phrase, you can convey not just 'laughing' but also the intensity of the laughter and the joyful atmosphere around it more concretely. It is one of the idioms worth learning when studying Chinese expressions of humor.