From what I understand, there are two types of intransitive verbs (might be wrong)
- The intransitive verb can act with a direct object or direction with the particle に
私は学校に行きます。
私は友達に会います。
私は道に迷います。
- The intransitive verb is by itself, and can't be used with the に particle.
私は朝早く起きます。
私は玩具で遊びます。
But I was told that 笑う fits under 2. and is not normally used with the に particle.
For example, if I want to say "I laughed at the cat", why can't I say 私は猫に笑いました?
But why is is okay in this sentence?
彼らは皆彼の冗談に笑いました。
They all laughed at his joke.
If I want to say "laughed at (noun)" why can't I use the に particle in certain cases?
And since 笑う can also be a transitive verb, why isn't を used in the sentence above?
Can someone please explain the grammar behind this?
Answer
笑う has several meanings (laugh, smile, grin, chuckle...) and is an intransitive verb:
声を出して笑う laugh out loud
冗談を聞いて笑う hear a joke and laugh
笑って挨拶する greet with a smile
When used with the indirect object particle に:
冗談に笑う laugh at a joke (in the sense "hear a joke and laugh" "a joke causes you to laugh")
(I think ～を聞いて笑う would be more common/natural than ～に笑う)
笑う can also be a transitive verb, and can be used with the direct object particle を. According to 明鏡国語辞典:
わらう【笑う】
🈔〘他五〙ばかにする。嘲笑{ちょうしょう}する。あざわらう。「一円を笑う者は一円に泣く」
When used as a transitive verb, 笑う means "laugh at~~" in the sense of "ridicule" "deride" "sneer at~~" "make fun of~~".
人の失敗を笑う laugh at another's failure (in the sense of "ridicule / make fun of~~")
人(のこと)を笑う laugh at others (in the sense of "ridicule / make fun of~~")
Now back to your examples...
彼らは皆彼の冗談に笑いました。
It'd be understood as "They all laughed at his joke" in the sense of "They heard his joke and laughed" "His joke made them laugh".
私は猫に笑いました。
It'd probably be understood as "I laughed at a cat" in the sense of "I saw a (funny) cat and laughed/smiled" (≂「私は猫を見て笑いました。」)
To say "I laughed at a cat" in the sense of "ridiculed / made fun of a cat", you'd say 私は猫を笑いました.
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