# 段子



## kategogogo

As I stumble across the word *段子* from time to time when I skim through Chinese websites. I know it's a kind of synonym for 笑话, but not quite the same thing. Could anyone kindly explain to me the nuance between 段子 and 笑话?

谢谢你们的帮助


----------



## bsbaby

Unfortunately there is no formal definition for this term yet, so here is my attempt,

段子 is a special type of 笑话, 
段子 - usually made after some social topics, news, government issue, celebrities etc, often strong sarcasm, or sexual, insulting ..., or plain humor.
an example of 段子:
我去手机营业厅办SIM卡，问营业员小姑娘“这4g有啥好的？”
小姑娘答“大叔，2g可以看仓井空小说，3g可以看仓井空图片，4g可以看仓井空视频。”
我说姑娘你尽说些大叔听不懂的，给我办张4g卡吧。

In contrast,
笑话 is more general and "reader-friendly", many of them are quite classic.


----------



## Skatinginbc

I'm not familiar with the term 段子, either.  Say, if I tell my friend the following story, will it be considered a "段子" or merely a 黄色笑话?

我在一家收银机专卖店上班, 一天来了一个鄉音很重的顾客, 他说: "小姑娘, 你们手(= 收)银机有煞(= 啥)好的?"
我答: "大叔，轻触型的只要轻轻一摸就会印出收据, 重触型的要用力才会出来, 半套的只依序计算总和, 全套的会自动分类印出财务报表."
他说: "姑娘, 你尽说些大叔听不懂的，给我一个重摸、会出来的全套手淫鸡(= 收银机)吧."


----------



## NewAmerica

段子refers to one of Chinese folk art forms, e.g.bass drum, comic dialogue and storytelling, or an episode of one of the forms. There has been a time in mainland China, during which 黄段子was rampant in small male private gatherings. 黄段子refers to a pornographic episode of joking.


----------



## SuperXW

As far as I know, 一段相声 can be called 相声段子. Not sure if this is the origin.


----------



## bsbaby

SuperXW said:


> As far as I know, 一段相声 can be called 相声段子. Not sure if this is the origin.


yes you are absolutely correct.
段子 is originally a jargon in 相声 performance, later become popular on Internet and mobile apps.


----------



## Skatinginbc

So, 黄段子 = 荤段子 = 黄色笑话?  No difference at all?
Although bsbaby's joke (#2) and mine (#3) are identical in structure, there are important differences: (1) Mine lacks sarcasm, while bsbaby's has a tint of sarcasm; (2) Mine is purely for the sake of joking, while bsbaby's actually depicts an aspect of current social development.  If we say 荤段子 is 民间化的色情与语言智慧的混合物, what does 语言智慧 entail?  My joke involves "wordplay", so does it make it qualify as 段子?

Basically I'm asking:
(1) Is social relevance ("made after some social topics, news, government issue, celebrities etc" see Post #2) a defining feature of 段子?
Or (2) Is the linguistic wit (语言智慧, e.g., wordplay) a defining feature?
Or (3) Is performance art (表演艺术, e.g., 相声) a defining feature (e.g., My joke supplies a platform for the performance of accent mimicking)?


----------



## retrogradedwithwind

段子，相声段子
一台相声，往往可以分成好几个段子。每个段子内部逻辑关系非常紧密，而段子和段子之间往往只要用词串起来就可以。
类似京剧分折，话剧分幕。一折戏，一幕戏。

因此段子其实就是一个内部完整的笑话。所以用段子的地方差不多都可以用笑话代替。


----------



## fyl

你做的这些事简直就是一段子！——强调你做的事情有戏剧性，不用修改就是剧本，其中的情节就像人人皆知的经典一样，或者可以作为经典广为流传。
你做的这些事简直就是一个笑话！——强调你做的事情滑稽可笑。


----------



## Skatinginbc

昨天他说了一有趣的段子 vs. 昨天他说了个有趣的笑话
Does 昨天他说了一有趣的段子 imply that he is funny in general and the joke he said yesterday was merely one of his many jokes?  My guess is based on "一台相声，往往可以分成好几个段子" (see #8).  It seems to suggest that a 段子 is only one of the many.

I also noticed fyl said 一段子 without a classifier for 段子, while retrogradedwithwind said 几个段子, implying 段子 can go with a classifier.


----------



## fyl

昨天他说了一个有趣的段子 does not imply he said many jokes yesterday. It's very possible that he said only one joke, and that joke is funny. I think 段子 is similar to 笑话 but it is more 经典. When a 笑话 has been told many times and known by everyone (or can/will be told many times and known by everyone), it is a 段子. 段子 is like 桥段, 哏（梗）.

I did not intended to claim that 段子 does not need a classifier. I was just trying to show the tone of northern casual speaking where the classifier can be swallowed in some cases. 一个笑话 can be 一笑话, too.


----------



## SuperXW

Skatinginbc said:


> So, 黄段子 = 荤段子 = 黄色笑话?  No difference at all?
> Although bsbaby's joke (#2) and mine (#3) are identical in structure, there are important differences: (1) Mine lacks sarcasm, while bsbaby's has a tint of sarcasm; (2) Mine is purely for the sake of joking, while bsbaby's actually depicts an aspect of current social development.  If we say 荤段子 is 民间化的色情与语言智慧的混合物, what does 语言智慧 entail?  My joke involves "wordplay", so does it make it qualify as 段子?
> 
> Basically I'm asking:
> (1) Is social relevance ("made after some social topics, news, government issue, celebrities etc" see Post #2) a defining feature of 段子?
> Or (2) Is the linguistic wit (语言智慧, e.g., wordplay) a defining feature?
> Or (3) Is performance art (表演艺术, e.g., 相声) a defining feature (e.g., My joke supplies a platform for the performance of accent mimicking)?


根据大家的讨论，我认为“段子”一词来源于传统相声术语，现在又在中国内地口语中流行起来，这只是一种流行用法，并没有严格固定的定义能区分“段子”和“笑话”。
从“段子”原本术语的定义来看，它当然不等于“笑话”，至少是用在相声中的才是“段子”。
但现在口语中的流行用法，已经把“段子”几乎等同于“笑话”，并没有你所说的区分。对使用“段子”一词聊天的绝大多数人来说，黄段子=荤段子=黄色笑话，没区别。硬说区别的话，“段子”给人感觉是更加生动、更适合现场精彩讲述的“笑话”。
“笑话”一词现在常被“段子”来代替，是因为“笑话”一词本身使用已久，变得传统、书面、严肃起来。在讲新笑话的场合，大家觉得再用“笑话”这词就没个性了，所以挖来了“段子”这个术语，代替“笑话”。
所以“黄段子”、“荤段子”听起来更有味道，说起来就像“讲相声”一样。而“黄色笑话”听起来有些正经，有些老笑话被正经的朋友讲出来，根本不好笑。
另外，fyl指出的区别，其实是“笑话”具有多一层的引申含义：指事物本身荒谬可笑。“段子”不具有这层含义。


----------



## Skatinginbc

Skatinginbc said:


> Is performance art (表演艺术, e.g., 相声) a defining feature?


Actually the responses we have here seem to indicate an inclination toward "yes":
1. "段子" 具有经典品質的戏剧性情节: fyl: "强调你做的事情有戏剧性，不用修改就是剧本，其中的情节就像人人皆知的经典一样，或者可以作为经典广为流传".
2. "段子" 适合现场演说: SuperXW: “段子”给人感觉是更加生动、更适合现场精彩讲述的“笑话”...说起来就像“讲相声”一样."

There is another feature worth addressing, namely, _currency_:
1. "段子" 與當今事件或現象有高度關聯性: bsbaby: "笑话...many of them are quite classic" (I take "classic" as 古典 or what SuperXW said "传统","老笑话"); "段子 - usually made after some social topics, news, government issue, celebrities etc".
2. "段子" 常指新笑话: SuperXW: "在讲新笑话的场合，大家觉得再用“笑话”这词就没个性了，所以挖来了“段子”这个术语，代替“笑话”"..."有些老笑话被正经的朋友讲出来，根本不好笑".

So, my definition of 段子:
段子 is a slang term for "joke", particularly a trendy joke that is theatrical, stage-worthy, topical, or new.


----------



## simonchg

Don't know much about its origin but I would explain to my friends that '段子' is *'a meme that is longer, more dramatic and usually topical'*, assume that you know what a meme is.


----------



## verastar

I think part of the reasons "段子" is used instead of "笑话", is what "笑话" refers to can be ambiguous.
If I told someone "你做的这些事简直像个笑话", it could either mean the thing he's done is funny, make people laugh; but it sounds more like what he's done is very ridiculous, everyone would laugh at him.
But if I say "你做的这些事简直像个段子", it has only the positive meaning. It can either mean it's funny/witty, or it's very exciting/interesting, can be written as a story.


----------



## julieamy001

a kind of show or story.


----------

