How Do You Say a “Mischievous Child” in Chinese?
The word for mischievous or naughty child in Chinese is composed of “熊 (xióng)” which means bear and “孩子 (háizi)” which means kid, or child. Put those together and you get “熊孩子 (xióng háizi).”
Let’s break down the word.
熊 (Xióng) bear (Nursery Rhyme – 三只小熊 (Sān zhī xiǎoxiónɡ) Three Little Bears)
孩子 (Háizi) kid, child (Chinese Tongue – Twister 孩子和鞋子 (Háizi hé xiézi) The Child And the Shoes)
熊孩子 (Xióng háizi) naughty child, wild kid
So why do we use “熊孩子 (xióng háizi) bear-child” to describe a naughty child?…