Tragicomic describes something that is sad and funny at once. It is the adjective belonging to tragicomedy, and you reach for it when neither "sad" nor "funny" alone would be honest.

Tragicomic這個字 describes something that is sad and funny at once形容一件事同時是悲傷又好笑的。 It is the adjective belonging to tragicomedy它是tragicomedy（悲喜劇）的形容詞, and you reach for it當你會用到它 when neither 'sad' nor 'funny' alone would be honest是當單講「悲傷」或單講「好笑」都不夠誠實的時候。

It describes a work — "a tragicomic novel", "his tragicomic first film" — and it describes moments in life: "a tragicomic scene at the airport", "there was something tragicomic about watching him carry all those bags".

It describes a work它可以形容一部作品 — 'a tragicomic novel'「一部tragicomic的小說」, 'his tragicomic first film'「他悲喜交加的第一部電影」 — and it describes moments in life也可以形容生活裡的片刻: 'a tragicomic scene at the airport'「機場裡一個tragicomic的場面」, 'there was something tragicomic about watching him carry all those bags'「看他扛著那些行李，有種說不出的悲喜交加」。

This second use is where students will actually need it. It is the word for the situation that is too painful to be a joke and too silly to be a tragedy.

This second use這第二種用法 is where students will actually need it才是學生真正用得到的地方。 It is the word for the situation它是用來形容那種處境的字, that is too painful to be a joke痛到不能當笑話, and too silly to be a tragedy又荒謬到稱不上悲劇。

The feeling it carries is affectionate. A tragicomic figure is someone we pity and enjoy at the same time — Charlie Chaplin's little tramp is the classic example. It is not a cruel word; it says the person is human and life is untidy.

The feeling it carries它帶的情感 is affectionate是溫暖、帶著疼惜的。 A tragicomic figure一個tragicomic的人物 is someone we pity and enjoy at the same time是我們既同情又喜歡看的角色 — Charlie Chaplin's little tramp is the classic example卓別林的小流浪漢就是經典例子。 It is not a cruel word它不是個殘忍的字; it says the person is human它說的是這個人很有人性 and life is untidy而生活本來就一團亂。

It is a written, thoughtful word. Reviewers and novelists use it constantly; nobody says it while queuing for coffee. In speech Taiwanese students would be better served by "it was funny but really sad" — which is the same idea in the same number of breaths.

It is a written, thoughtful word它是個書面、需要想一下的字。 Reviewers and novelists use it constantly影評人和小說家很常用它; nobody says it while queuing for coffee沒有人排隊買咖啡時會說出這個字。 In speech在口語裡 Taiwanese students would be better served by台灣學生更適合用 'it was funny but really sad'「好笑又真的很慘」 — which is the same idea in the same number of breaths用差不多的字數表達同樣的意思。