Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 白痴 | báichī |
| 傻子 | shǎzi |
| 蠢貨 / 蠢货 | chǔnhuò |
| 傻瓜 | shǎguā |
| 笨蛋 | bèndàn |
| 蠢材 | chǔncái |
| 呆子 | dāizi |
These terms are used to describe a person of low general intelligence.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 笨蛋 literally translates to "stupid egg".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in tone and intensity. 白痴 is a more clinical or harsh term, often implying a genuine lack of intelligence or a mental deficiency. In contrast, 傻瓜 is much softer and can be used affectionately or teasingly between friends or lovers, while 蠢货 is a direct insult. 呆子 is similar to the English terms "simpleton" or "blockhead", conveying the idea of someone who is dull-witted.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The choice of word depends on your intent. 笨蛋 is a very common, informal way to call someone an idiot and is frequently used in casual conversation or even in romantic contexts to mean "silly". Conversely, 蠢货 is a strong, derogatory insult used to express genuine contempt for someone's stupidity.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using these nouns to describe a person, they are often preceded by the measure word 个, such as in 一个笨蛋 (an idiot).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 白痴 is báichī.
Did you know?
- Calling someone a 蠢货 is particularly offensive because it treats the person as a 'commodity' or 'object'. The character 货 specifically refers to goods or merchandise.
- In some contexts, the word 傻 (from 傻瓜) can be used to describe someone who is 'honest to a fault' or 'too innocent' to take advantage of others.
- To intensify these words, Chinese speakers often repeat the adjective, such as saying 傻傻的 to describe someone who is acting in a cute or airheaded way.
Examples in context
- 你真是個傻瓜！You're such an idiot!This sentence demonstrates the use of 傻瓜 to call someone an idiot.Tatoeba #1236302 by tsayng, translation #984523 by CM
- 你是一個笨蛋。You're an idiot.This sentence shows how to use 笨蛋 to call someone an idiot.Tatoeba #1960230 by egg0073, translation #461945 by tamsanh
- 有时他是白痴。He's an idiot sometimes.This sentence illustrates the use of 白痴 to describe someone as an idiot.Tatoeba #4760048 by ryanwoo, translation #2700314 by Hybrid
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a silly mistake a classmate made.
- 浩然 Haoran他剛才的行為真像個白痴。Tā gāngcái de xíngwéi zhēn xiàng gè báichī.His behavior just now was like an idiot.
- 梓涵 Zihan浩然，你說話別這麼過分。Hàorán, nǐ shuōhuà bié zhème guòfèn.Haoran, don't speak so harshly.
- 浩然 Haoran但我真的覺得他很蠢。Dàn wǒ zhēnde juédé tā hěn chǔn.But I really think he is stupid.
- 梓涵 Zihan算了，我們別再提他了。Suànle, wǒmen bié zài tí tā le.Forget it, let's not mention him anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
