作怪 (zuò guài) — to make trouble; to cause mischief

Definition

Means something hidden is causing trouble — often used for machines, weather, or unknown forces acting strangely. Reads more literary/colloquial-figurative than plain 'make trouble' (捣乱).

verb

to make troubleto cause mischief

Examples

作怪。
Bié zài zhè lǐ zuò guài le.
Don't make trouble here.
？
Tā dào dǐ zài zuò shén me guài?
What mischief is he up to?
作怪。
Zhè ge jī qì yòu kāi shǐ zuò guài le.
This machine is acting up again.

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