调皮

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"调皮" (tiáopí) describes someone, often a child or animal, who is playful in a mischievous or naughty way. It implies light-hearted troublemaking rather than serious misbehavior.

Common Contexts

It is frequently used to describe children who tease others or do small pranks, as well as pets that behave playfully but cause minor trouble.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 调皮孩子: naughty child, a very common phrase to describe playful kids.
  • 调皮: to be mischievous and cause trouble, often used in storytelling or casual speech.
  • 调皮: a mild reprimand meaning "don't be naughty" or "stop fooling around."

Nuances

Using 调皮 is generally affectionate or mildly admonishing, not harsh. It contrasts with words like 淘气 (táoqì), which can be similar but sometimes implies more unruliness. 调皮 often carries a tone of endearment or humor.

Common Confusion

Don't confuse 调皮 with (bad) or 恶劣 (mean/evil). 调皮 is about playful mischief, not serious bad behavior.

Example Sentences

He is a very naughty child and often teases his classmates.

The cat mischievously jumped onto the table and knocked over the cup.

Stop being naughty and seriously finish your homework!