| 哭笑不得 |
kū xiào bù dé |
lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom) / both funny and extremely embarrassing / between laughter and tears |
| 哭 |
kū |
to cry; to weep |
| 笑 |
xiào |
old variant of 笑 |
| 笑 |
xiào |
to laugh; to smile / to laugh at |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 不得 |
bù dé |
must not / may not / not to be allowed / cannot |
| 得 |
dé |
to obtain / to get / to gain / to catch (a disease) / proper / suitable / proud / contented / to allow / to permit / ready / finished |
| 得 |
de |
structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc |
| 得 |
děi |
to have to / must / ought to / to need to |