| Alternative spellings |
|---|
| 笑い話 笑話 (dated) |
From 笑い (warai, “連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 笑う (warau).”) + 話 (hanashi). The hanashi changes to banashi as an instance of rendaku (連濁).
わらいばなし • (waraibanashi) ←わらひばなし (warafibanasi)?