How to say "laughter" in Japanese

• 笑いわらいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers laughter in general: the act of laughing, laughter as an occurrence, and the sound of people laughing. It is the common everyday word, the one you want in almost any ordinary context.
  赤ん坊あかんぼうは敵意てきいのある笑わらいができるほど年としをとってはいない。↗

  The baby is not old enough to be capable of hostile laughter.
• 笑声しょうせい
  nounAlso glossed as laugh or laughter, but it is a less common word pointing specifically to the audible sound of laughing voices. Seldom the word you want for general 'laughter'; use it only when the sound itself matters.

Use 「笑い」 for the everyday act or sound of laughing; 笑声 is a less common word that refers specifically to the sound of laughter, so reserve it mainly for literary or descriptive contexts.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 笑いわらいlaugh
• 笑声しょうせいlaugh
• 笑い声わらいごえ(sound of) laughter