嘲笑 means 'to mock' or 'to ridicule' — it describes the act of making fun of someone in a scornful, unkind, or contemptuous way. The first character 嘲 (cháo) conveys derision or taunting, while 笑 (xiào) literally means 'to laugh', but here it intensifies the sense of mocking laughter rather than genuine amusement. Together, they form a compound verb emphasizing public, often hurtful, laughter directed at another person’s appearance, behavior, mistake, or vulnerability.

This word carries a distinctly negative emotional weight and is commonly used in contexts involving bullying, social exclusion, or insensitive humor. It appears frequently in literature, news reports about cyberbullying, and discussions of empathy and respect. Unlike neutral words like 笑 (to laugh) or even teasing terms like 开玩笑 (to joke around), 嘲笑 implies intent to belittle or humiliate, and thus is rarely used lightly or positively.