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搞鬼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
搞鬼gǎoguǐto make mischiefHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #12475, Very Hard
搞鬼gǎoguǐto play tricksHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #12475, Very Hard
gǎoguǐ(gao3gui3) T3
  1. 1to make mischief
  2. 2to play tricks
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March 24, 2026

搞鬼gǎoguǐ(gao3gui3)

The phrase 搞鬼 (gǎo guǐ) means to engage in mischief or to play tricks on someone. It is often used in informal contexts to describe actions that are playful, sneaky, or deceitful, typically with a humorous undertone.

Strokes22Frequency#12475DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of ghosts and spirits is prevalent, often associated with playful or mischievous behavior during festivals like the Ghost Festival, where spirits are said to roam freely.

Memory Tip

Imagine a ghost (鬼, guǐ) dancing around while someone is trying to study. The ghost is making trouble (搞, gǎo) by distracting them. This imagery helps connect the character for mischief with the idea of a ghost causing playful trouble.

Meanings of 搞鬼

gǎoguǐ(gao3gui3)
1to make mischief
2to play tricks
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About 搞鬼

搞鬼Simplified
22Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 搞鬼

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Podcast: 搞鬼

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AI Study Notes for 搞鬼

Quick Contrast

搞恶作剧 (gǎo èzuòjù) - use 搞鬼 for playful mischief, while 搞恶作剧 is more specific to pranks.

Usage Notes

This term is informal and may not be appropriate in formal settings. Be cautious of using it in serious discussions. Common collocations include 搞鬼的行为 (gǎo guǐ de xíngwéi) meaning 'mischievous behavior'.

HSK Study Tips

While 搞鬼 is not an official HSK word, it connects to HSK vocabulary related to actions (like 做, zuò) and behavior (like 行为, xíngwéi). Focus on understanding the playful context and practicing in conversational settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 搞鬼 with serious wrongdoing. For example, saying '他在搞鬼' (Tā zài gǎo guǐ) to accuse someone of criminal behavior is incorrect; it should be used for playful mischief.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 搞鬼

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Component Characters

搞gǎoto do
HSK 513 strokes扌
View full entry
鬼guǐghost
HSK 79 strokes鬼
View full entry

How to say to make mischief in Chinese

“to make mischief” in Chinese is搞鬼gǎoguǐ

The phrase 搞鬼 (gǎo guǐ) means to engage in mischief or to play tricks on someone. It is often used in informal contexts to describe actions that are playful, sneaky, or deceitful, typically with a humorous undertone.

When to use 搞鬼

This term is informal and may not be appropriate in formal settings. Be cautious of using it in serious discussions. Common collocations include 搞鬼的行为 (gǎo guǐ de xíngwéi) meaning 'mischievous behavior'.

搞鬼 or something close to it

搞恶作剧 (gǎo èzuòjù) - use 搞鬼 for playful mischief, while 搞恶作剧 is more specific to pranks.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 搞鬼 with serious wrongdoing. For example, saying '他在搞鬼' (Tā zài gǎo guǐ) to accuse someone of criminal behavior is incorrect; it should be used for playful mischief.

Write 搞鬼

搞
鬼

Practice writing 搞鬼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 搞鬼

Not necessarily; it can imply playful mischief rather than serious wrongdoing.

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