Translation for "cheeky" as in "cheeky grin"?

[tooironic]

"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?

[Tiana]

I think you can work around "调皮的".

[Guest realmayo]

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?

[Guest realmayo]

Ah, snap! How about 调调皮皮的 or would that sound weird?

[anonymoose]

嘻皮笑脸  a cheeky grin

[陳德聰]

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?

[Pingfa]

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.

[tooironic]

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”.

[gato]

得意的 might be close.

[陳德聰]

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".

[anonymoose]

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.)

[陳德聰]

No but entailment =/= equivalence.

[tooironic]

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。

[anonymoose]

OK. Say 嘻皮笑脸的表情.

[skylee]

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.

[陳德聰]

I meant to upvote that post, blame my fat fingers on my phone

[Tiana]

It wouldn't make any real difference for skylee but I negated it anyway.

[tooironic]

Just to follow up on this post, I realised today "cheeky" could be translated as 没大没小 depending on the context.

[陳德聰]

Depending on how negative of a cheeky it is, then yeah.

[ceciliamiao]

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?