nghịch tinh
Definition
- Adjective:
- Mischievous / Prankish: Describes a person, especially a child, who is playfully naughty, enjoys causing minor trouble, or is full of playful tricks.
- Perverse / Contrary: Can describe behavior that is deliberately and annoyingly contrary or difficult, often in a stubborn or willful way.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Thằng bé rất nghịch tinh, lúc nào cũng nghĩ ra trò để trêu em gái. (The boy is very mischievous, always thinking of tricks to tease his younger sister.)
- Đừng có nghịch tinh, hãy nghe lời mẹ đi. (Don't be so contrary, listen to your mother.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a nuance of cleverness or cunning in the mischief, not just simple naughtiness. It implies a certain level of intentional, inventive troublemaking.
Variants and Related Words
- Nghịch ngợm (adj): Playful, naughty. This is a more common and general synonym for mischievous.
- Bọn trẻ nghịch ngợm trong vườn. (The children are playing naughtily in the garden.)
Synonyms
- Mischievous: Showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way.
- Prankish: Fond of playing pranks.
- Perverse: Willfully determined to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable.
- Contrary: Perversely inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is expected.
Related Idioms
- While "nghịch tinh" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, the concept is related to the idea of a "trickster" or someone who is cleverly disobedient.