頑皮 / 顽皮
wánpí
The English word mischievous translates to Mandarin as 頑皮 / 顽皮 (wánpí). Wiktionary also lists 淘氣 / 淘气 (táoqì) and 調皮 / 调皮 (tiáopí).
Meaning: naughty (adj)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 頑皮 / 顽皮 | wánpí |
| 淘氣 / 淘气 | táoqì |
| 調皮 / 调皮 | tiáopí |
The term is used to describe someone who is naughty.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say someone is 'very' mischievous, you typically place the adverb hěn (很) before the adjective instead of using fēicháng (非常) in casual conversation, such as in the phrase 很頑皮.
How do you pronounce it?
wánpí
Did you know?
- The term 淘氣 (táoqì) contains the character 淘 (táo), which means 'to wash' or 'to sift' gold from sand. This suggests a restless, churning energy similar to water moving pebbles.
- In modern internet slang, the character 皮 (pí) is often used alone as a verb or adjective to describe someone being a 'cheeky' troll or making a sarcastic joke in a group chat.
- While English speakers might use 'mischievous' for a prankster adult, the Mandarin terms 頑皮 and 淘氣 are almost exclusively reserved for children or pets. Using them for an adult would sound like you are treating them like a toddler.
Examples in context
- 他的孩子很淘气，经常捣蛋。His child is very mischievous and often causes trouble.
- 这个学生虽然淘气，但成绩很好。Although this student is mischievous, their grades are excellent.
- 他的弟弟很调皮，总喜欢捉弄别人。His younger brother is very mischievous and always likes to tease others.
- 小狗捣蛋的时候被发现了。The puppy was caught when it was being mischievous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mischievous” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
