No disrespect intended sir. It was just a joke.

先生，绝无不敬之意。这不过是个玩笑而已。

《牛津词典》

It was probably just a joke to them, but it wasn't funny to me.

这对他们来说可能只是说着玩，但对我来说一点也不好笑。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

Selling a donkey for a dollar was just a joke.

一块钱卖掉他的驴，仅是说来玩的。

youdao

Wimsatt has his little joke about drinking a pint of beer, taking a walk. So the New Criticism just isn't interested in those sorts of spontaneous overflow.

文萨特也开玩笑似的把这比喻成喝完一品脱啤酒，然后散散步，所以我说过了,新批评派对这东西不感兴趣。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

That it is intended as a kind of joke to, in many ways, discredit the idea of the just city or at least to indicate its extreme implausibility.

目的是要用作戏谑，在很多方面，使人怀疑正义之城的概念,或至少是要指明其极难令人置信。

耶鲁公开课 - 政治哲学导论课程节选

Using these terms metaphorically is just a joke, not to be taken seriously, argue some.

BBC: Magazine

Unfortunately, the Glenn Becks of this world are more than just a joke.

ECONOMIST: Lexington

It's just a joke, on the television the police, fire and council officers say they're re-filling the bowsers five times a day.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Living life without any tap water