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前仰后合

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: qián yǎng hòu hé
  • English Translation: Rocking back and forth with laughter (doubled over)
  • Idiom Composition: 「前」（Front or forward）＋「仰」（To lean back or look upward (representing the backward motion)）＋「后」（Back or backward）＋「合」（To close or bend (representing the forward folding motion)）
  • Meaning: To sway or rock violently forward and backward. It is primarily used to describe someone laughing so hard that they lose physical control, though it can occasionally describe staggering from extreme sleepiness or intoxication.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「前仰后合」 contains the following nuances:

  • Visualizing Laughter: Unlike simple words for 'laughing,' this idiom emphasizes the physical intensity of the act. It is almost always used with the grammatical complement 笑得 (xiào de) to show the result of the laughter.
  • Loss of Control: The alternating motion of 仰 (yǎng) and 合 (hé) suggests a body that is no longer under the person's steady control, usually due to overwhelming joy or amusement.

3. Usage

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

  • Intense Laughter: The most common usage, describing someone reacting to a joke, comedy, or funny situation.
    • Example:「听完那个相声演员的段子，全场观众都笑得前仰后合。」
      （After hearing the cross-talk actor's routine, the entire audience was doubled over with laughter.）
  • Daily Conversation: Used to emphasize how much fun people had during a social gathering.
    • Example:「昨天聚会太有意思了，大家都乐得前仰后合。」
      （Yesterday's party was so much fun; everyone was rocking back and forth with laughter.）
  • Staggering (Rare): Describing a loss of balance due to intoxication or exhaustion.
    • Example:「他喝醉了，走路前仰后合，差点摔倒。」
      （He was drunk and staggered back and forth as he walked, nearly falling over.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 看着小丑滑稽的表演，孩子们笑得前仰后合。
    （Watching the clown's comical performance, the children were doubled over with laughter.）
  2. 几个老朋友聚在一起回忆往事，时不时笑得前仰后合。
    （A few old friends gathered to reminisce about the past, occasionally rocking back and forth with laughter.）
  3. 这部喜剧电影包袱不断，让人笑得前仰后合。
    （This comedy movie is full of punchlines that keep people doubled over with laughter.）
  4. 虽然很困，但他还是强打精神，只是偶尔困得前仰后合。
    （Although he was very tired, he forced himself to stay awake, only occasionally nodding off and swaying from sleepiness.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The visual imagery of 仰 (yǎng) refers to leaning the head back and arching the spine, while 合 (hé) refers to the body folding or bending forward. Together, they create a vivid picture of someone laughing so hard they can't catch their breath.
  • Historically, this phrase appeared in Yuan Dynasty dramas like Meeting the Emperor (遇上皇), where it was often used to describe the staggering of a drunkard. However, by the time of Ming and Qing dynasty novels like Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦), it became the standard way to describe 'explosive laughter.'
  • While similar to 捧腹大笑 (pěng fù dà xiào), which means 'to hold one's belly with laughter,' 前仰后合 (qián yǎng hòu hé) focuses more on the rhythmic, swaying motion of the entire body.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

前仰后合 (qián yǎng hòu hé) is a visual idiom describing a person's body swaying uncontrollably. While it literally means leaning back and folding forward, it is almost exclusively used in modern Chinese as part of the phrase 笑得前仰后合 (xiào de qián yǎng hòu hé), meaning to be **doubled over with laughter**. It vividly captures the physical movement of a person who finds something so hilarious they cannot sit or stand still.

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