Why isn't 笑う usually used with に particle?


From what I understand, there are two types of intransitive verbs (might be
wrong)

  1. 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。

  2. 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?




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.




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.

