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乖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
乖
guāi
(of a child) obedient, well-behaved
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
clever
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
shrewd
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
alert
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
perverse
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
contrary to reason
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
irregular
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
abnormal
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
乖
guāi
obedient, well-behaved; clever
HSK 7, a, 8 strokes, radical 丿, rank #2379, Very Hard
guāi(guai1)guai T1
1(of a child) obedient, well-behaved
2clever
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
乖guāi(guai1)
The character 乖 (guāi) typically describes a child who is obedient and well-behaved, but it can also imply cleverness or shrewdness in other contexts. Additionally, it can have a nuanced meaning suggesting behavior that is contrary to expectations or norms, indicating a level of irregularity or abnormality in some situations.
Strokes8Radical丿Frequency#2379DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of being 乖 is often idealized in children, reflecting the value placed on obedience and respect for elders. This character is commonly used in parenting contexts, emphasizing the importance of a child's good behavior.
Memory tip
Imagine a well-behaved child (乖) sitting quietly and attentively in class, with a big smile on their face. The character has a component that resembles a child (子) sitting, symbolizing obedience and cleverness. You can remember 'guāi' by associating it with the idea of a child who is 'good' and 'wise' in their behavior.
Meanings of 乖
guāi(guai1)
1(of a child) obedient, well-behaved
2clever
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 乖 means.
About 乖
乖Simplified
8Strokes
丿Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2379Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 乖
Podcast: 乖
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AI study notes for 乖
Quick Contrast
乖 (guāi) vs 乖巧 (guāiqiǎo) — use 乖 for general obedient behavior, while 乖巧 emphasizes cleverness or skillfulness in a more specific context.
Usage Notes
Learners should note that 乖 is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing children or pets. Common collocations include 乖孩子 (guāi háizi - obedient child) and 乖乖 (guāi guāi - a term of endearment). Be careful with the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 乖 connects with themes of behavior and personality traits. Students should focus on its various meanings and contexts, especially how it can describe not just children but also situations or people in a clever or contrary way.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 乖 with 听话 (tīng huà); while both mean obedient, 乖 carries a more nuanced implication of cleverness. For instance, saying '他很听话' (tā hěn tīng huà - he is very obedient) is correct, but using 乖 in the same context can sound unusual without the right context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 乖
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How to say (of a child) obedient, well-behaved in Chinese
“(of a child) obedient, well-behaved” in Chinese is乖guāi
The character 乖 (guāi) typically describes a child who is obedient and well-behaved, but it can also imply cleverness or shrewdness in other contexts. Additionally, it can have a nuanced meaning suggesting behavior that is contrary to expectations or norms, indicating a level of irregularity or abnormality in some situations.
When to use 乖
Learners should note that 乖 is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing children or pets. Common collocations include 乖孩子 (guāi háizi - obedient child) and 乖乖 (guāi guāi - a term of endearment). Be careful with the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning.
乖 or something close to it
乖 (guāi) vs 乖巧 (guāiqiǎo) — use 乖 for general obedient behavior, while 乖巧 emphasizes cleverness or skillfulness in a more specific context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 乖 with 听话 (tīng huà); while both mean obedient, 乖 carries a more nuanced implication of cleverness. For instance, saying '他很听话' (tā hěn tīng huà - he is very obedient) is correct, but using 乖 in the same context can sound unusual without the right context.
Write 乖
乖
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Practice writing 乖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 乖
乖 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
那两个人____乖地向他投降。
The pair surrendered to him like lambs.
Common confusions with 乖
乖vs怪
guài
Similar pronunciation but different meanings.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “(of a child) obedient, well-behaved”?
or
Example sentences for 乖 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那两个人乖乖地向他投降。
nà liǎng gèrén guāi guāi dì xiàng tā tóuxiáng。
The pair surrendered to him like lambs.
2
我们散步的时候，这帮小男孩表现得很乖。
wǒmen sànbù de shíhou， zhè bāng xiǎo nán hái biǎoxiàn de hěn guāi。
The boys were as good as gold on our walk.
3
“乖儿子，”她轻声说着，把他紧紧地抱在怀里。
“ guāi érzi，” tā qīng shēng shuō zhe， bǎ tā jǐnjǐn dì bào zài huáilǐ。
