卖乖 (mài guāi) — to show off one's cleverness (often annoyingly); to act cute to gain an advantage
Definition
A colloquial verb meaning to act cute or show off one's cleverness in order to win favor. Usually carries a negative tone — the person comes across as insincere or annoying.
verb
to show off one's cleverness (often annoyingly)to act cute to gain an advantage
Examples
- 卖乖。Tā zǒng xǐ huan zài bié rén miàn qián mài guāi.He always likes to show off his cleverness in front of others.
- ，。Zuó tiān tā zài huì yì shàng mài le yí gè guāi, dà jiā dōu hěn gān gà.Yesterday he pulled a clever trick at the meeting, and everyone was embarrassed.
- ，。Tā mài le bàn tiān guāi, zuì hòu shuí yě méi lǐ tā.He acted cute for a long time, but in the end nobody paid him any attention.
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