faan2 dau2反鬥反斗
Jyutpingfaan2 dau2
Yalefáan dáu
Definition
Naughty, mischievous, or playful.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes a playful, energetic, and slightly troublesome nature, often used to describe children or pets. It carries a lighthearted tone rather than implying genuine malice or bad behavior. It is frequently used by adults to describe kids who are full of life and constantly looking for excitement.
Examples
Your son is very mischievous, always causing trouble everywhere.
He was very naughty when he was young, always playing pranks on people.
Related words
Common phrases
a mischievous person
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe adults in a professional or serious context, as it implies a childish or immature lack of discipline. It is strictly reserved for informal, affectionate, or observational descriptions of children and youth.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
