tooironic Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:20 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:20 PM "Cheeky" is a word that I've never been able to find a good translation for into Chinese. The translations I've seen in English-Chinese dictionaries all seem to be way off base. Anyone have any suggestions? The Oxford defines "cheeky" as: "impudent or irreverent, typically in an amusing way", and I think the "amusing" part of the definition is key - it's like you're acting in a naughty way, but you can get away with it because you're funny or interesting. They also give an example of "a cheeky grin" which I think is one of the most common collocations. So, how could we translate "a cheeky grin" or "he grinned cheekily" into Chinese? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiana Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:44 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:44 PM I think you can work around "调皮的". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realmayo Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:45 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:45 PM I guess sometimes 调皮的 just about works, sometimes 坏坏的 might. edit: pasted 顽皮 not 调皮 But come to think of it, perhaps either's okay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realmayo Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:46 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:46 PM Ah, snap! How about 调调皮皮的 or would that sound weird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:49 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 at 12:49 PM 嘻皮笑脸 a cheeky grin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 23, 2014 at 03:32 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 at 03:32 AM 嬉皮笑脸 is not really cheeky... and it's not an actual facial expression is it? I think 调皮 is a suitable translation for cheeky. Cheeky = naughty/mischievous in a non-malicious way, right? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingfa Posted December 23, 2014 at 11:33 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 at 11:33 AM My first thought was 嘻皮笑脸 as well. I just did a quick search for examples and found these: "当孩子犯了错误，也意识到自己的错误时，往往为了掩盖自己的错误，对家长的询问或教育用嘻皮笑脸的方式来对待。" "孩子有了错误而没有意识到自己做错了事，家长在指出他的错误时，孩子会若无其事，满不在乎，嘻皮笑脸。" The definition the Moe dictionary provides is 笑裡透著頑皮和耍賴等不莊重的表情和態度。 Seems close enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooironic Posted December 24, 2014 at 12:36 AM Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 at 12:36 AM Yes, it seems 嘻皮笑脸 is as close as we can get. Having a look at the pictures on Baidu, those grins do look pretty cheeky. Thanks guys. EDIT: Interestingly, Wenlin defines 嬉皮笑脸 as "grinning cheekily". It doesn't have any entry for the alternative form 嘻皮笑脸 though. The 现代汉语规范词典 claims 嬉皮笑脸现在一般写作“嘻皮笑脸”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gato Posted December 24, 2014 at 01:11 AM Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 at 01:11 AM 得意的 might be close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 24, 2014 at 01:33 AM Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 at 01:33 AM 嬉皮笑臉 is more of a 態度 to me. I think it can be worked into a translation where the English involves a cheeky grin, but it doesn't mean "cheeky grin". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted December 24, 2014 at 03:36 AM Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 at 03:36 AM Well, let's ask this another way - can you think of an instance where 嬉皮笑臉 does not involve a cheeky grin? (In other words, expresses an attitude that does not involve someone grinning cheekily.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 24, 2014 at 04:10 PM Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 at 04:10 PM No but entailment =/= equivalence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooironic Posted December 25, 2014 at 12:23 AM Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 at 12:23 AM True. Technically 嬉皮笑脸 should refer to a 样子 not a 表情. Definitions from the various C-C dictionaries: 形容嘻笑不严肃的样子。 形容嬉笑顽皮的样子。 形容嬉笑不严肃的轻浮样子。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted December 25, 2014 at 01:29 AM Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 at 01:29 AM OK. Say 嘻皮笑脸的表情. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 25, 2014 at 02:05 PM Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 at 02:05 PM I don't know what cheeky grin implies. I have looked at the pictures shown by google and they are just grins to me. But, on the other hand,I know what 嬉皮笑臉 means and implies and I would not suggest it unless it is supposed to carry negative connotations. Consider describing it with 調皮 / 頑皮. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 25, 2014 at 05:17 PM Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 at 05:17 PM I meant to upvote that post, blame my fat fingers on my phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiana Posted December 25, 2014 at 06:24 PM Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 at 06:24 PM It wouldn't make any real difference for skylee but I negated it anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooironic Posted February 22, 2015 at 09:10 PM Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 at 09:10 PM Just to follow up on this post, I realised today "cheeky" could be translated as 没大没小 depending on the context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted February 22, 2015 at 10:29 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 at 10:29 PM Depending on how negative of a cheeky it is, then yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceciliamiao Posted March 31, 2015 at 03:32 AM Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 at 03:32 AM I've been wondering about this too!!! What are all the emotions involved in a cheeky grin? A little embarrassed but trying to cover up in a funny way? Anyone thinks 贱贱的 would be an apt and current translation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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