からかう・揶揄うkarakau

1. godan verb, transitive verbto tease; to make fun of; to poke fun at; to make a crack about; to chaff; to kid; to joke; to banter; to pull someone's leg
   我々われわれはこの事ことで彼かれをからかった。↗

   We made fun of him about this.

• Synonym冷やかすひやかすNeutralGood-natured banter or teasing, often directed at couples; it can also mean window-shopping, looking at goods without buying.
• Synonym揶揄やゆWrittenNoun for sarcastic ridicule, written in tone and often aimed at satirizing society or public statements; 「揶揄う」 is mostly teasing someone face to face.
• Synonym嘲るあざけるWrittenWritten-style scornful ridicule with real malice; 「揶揄う」 is conversational and mostly playful teasing.
• SynonymおちょくるCasualColloquial teasing that can carry a hint of contempt; originally Kansai dialect but now widespread, and more casual than 「揶揄う」.
• SynonymおちゃらかすCasualColloquial, flippant teasing or joking around with a cheeky feel; rarely used.
• Synonym嘲弄ちょうろうWrittenNoun for mockery or toying with someone, written in tone and strongly malicious; far heavier than 「揶揄う」.
• Related冷笑れいしょうWrittenNoun for a cold, sneering laugh, written in tone and showing open contempt.
• RelatedじらすNeutralDeliberately keeping someone waiting or on edge by withholding what they want; 「揶揄う」 is about verbal teasing.
• Relatedあざ笑うあざわらうNeutralLaughing at someone with contempt and malice; 「揶揄う」 is by contrast mostly playful.
• Related茶々を入れるちゃちゃをいれるCasualIdiom for butting into someone's conversation with silly jokes; the point is the interruption, and it need not target one person.
• Related嘲笑ちょうしょうWrittenNoun for scornful, contemptuous laughter, as in 「嘲笑の的」; written in tone and carrying disdain.
• Related嗤笑ししょうWrittenWritten word for a sneering, ridiculing laugh; rare today, and in everyday speech you would say 「あざ笑う」.
• Relatedせせら笑うせせらわらうNeutralTo sneer or laugh scornfully, with contempt; 「揶揄う」 is closer to good-natured joking.
• RelatedなぶるWrittenWritten word for toying with or tormenting someone, often the weak, with a cruel edge; its malice is heavier than 「揶揄う」.
• Antonym褒めるほめるNeutralTo praise or compliment someone — the direct opposite of teasing them with 「揶揄う」.
• Antonym真面目に扱うNeutralPhrase meaning to treat someone or something seriously and in earnest, the opposite of playful teasing.

Use 「揶揄う」 for teasing someone, usually in fun. For light ribbing pick 「冷やかす」; for malicious, contemptuous mockery 「あざ笑う」 or 「嘲る」; for butting into a conversation with jokes 「茶々を入れる」; for keeping someone in suspense 「焦らす」. The written nouns 「揶揄」「嘲笑」「嘲弄」「冷笑」 and verbs like 「嬲る」 weigh far heavier in scorn or cruelty than 「揶揄う」.

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

1. （揶揄からかう・調ちょう戯ぎう）相手あいてが怒おこったり困こまったりするよう仕向しむけて楽たのしむ。おちょくる。
2. 手間てまをかける。
3. （争あらそう・誥う）争あらそう。葛藤かっとうする。