捣蛋 (dǎo dàn) — to cause trouble, to make mischief, to be a nuisance

Definition

捣蛋 means to cause trouble or make mischief, usually about playful, childish behavior (often a 捣蛋鬼 'little rascal').

verb
to cause troubleto make mischiefto be a nuisance
Easily confused

Examples

  • 捣蛋。
    Tā zǒng shì xǐ huan zài kè táng shàng dǎo dàn.
    He always likes to cause trouble in class.
  • ？
    Tā zuó tiān dǎo le shén me dàn?
    What kind of trouble did he make yesterday?
  • 捣蛋，！
    Bié zài dǎo dàn le, kuài bāng máng zuò shì!
    Stop causing trouble and help with the work!

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

捣dǎobeat/stir
蛋dànegg

捣 (to stir up) and 蛋 (egg) together suggest messing things up.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 搗; 捣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
島
島dǎo搗dǎo
Same sound today

The traditional form 搗 pairs 手 (hand) with 島 as a sound part; the simplified 捣 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the original sound part.

Open 捣 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
虫虫chóngsnake, insect
Sound part声符shēngfú
延
延yán蛋dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.

Open 蛋 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.