Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 頑皮 / 顽皮 | wánpí |
| 淘氣 / 淘气 | táoqì |
| 調皮 / 调皮 | tiáopí |
These terms describe being bad or tending to misbehave. 頑皮 / 顽皮 (wánpí) is often used to describe a child's personality or a playful, mischievous nature. 淘氣 / 淘气 (táoqì) focuses more on specific instances of misbehavior or being 'cheeky', and it is the term most commonly used by parents or teachers when a child is being physically active or restless in a way that causes minor trouble. 調皮 / 调皮 (tiáopí) is frequently used to describe someone being playful, witty or slightly mischievous in a way that is seen as clever or endearing.
What does it mean word for word?
The character 皮 (pí), meaning 'skin', appears in both 調皮 / 调皮 and 頑皮 / 顽皮. In this context, it carries the connotation of being 'thick-skinned' or 'unrestrained' in behavior.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say someone is 'very naughty', you typically use the adverb 很 (hěn) before the adjective, such as in 很 + 頑皮 / 顽皮 (hěn wánpí), as Chinese adjectives often require a degree adverb in simple descriptive sentences.
How do you pronounce it?
wánpí
Did you know?
- The word 淘氣 (táoqì) contains the character 氣 (qì), which can mean 'air', 'gas', or 'vital energy', suggesting the person is acting out due to an excess of restless energy.
- While 'naughty' in English can be used for adults in a flirtatious or joking way, using 頑皮 (wánpí) for an adult in Chinese can feel incredibly condescending, as if you are treating them like a small child.
- The word 淘 (táo) in 淘氣 (táoqì) can also be found in words related to 'scouring' or 'washing away', suggesting a sense of being unsettled or turbulent.
Examples in context
- 小明真是个淘气的孩子，他总是做一些顽皮的事情。Xiao Ming is such a naughty child, he always does some playful things.
- 小玲今天调皮捣蛋得很，不停地给大家恶作剧，真是个坏孩子啊！Xiao Ling was very naughty today, constantly playing pranks on everyone. She's such a naughty kid!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “naughty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
