Meaning
顽 describes someone or something that is stubbornly resistant to change, persistently naughty, or difficult to deal with. It often appears in compound words like 顽固 (stubborn) or 顽皮 (naughty, mischievous). The character carries a sense of unyielding persistence, which can be negative (obstinate resistance) or playful (childish mischief).
Usage
顽 is rarely used alone in modern Mandarin and almost always appears in two-character compounds. 顽固 describes someone stubbornly set in their ways, while 顽皮 describes playful, naughty children. Native speakers use 顽强 to describe tenacious fighting spirit or resilience, which has a positive connotation. The standalone character 顽 is more common in classical or literary contexts.
Examples
- 01这个孩子太顽皮了，总是不听老师的话。, .This child is too naughty; he never listens to the teacher.
- 02他的态度很顽固，怎么劝都不听。, .His attitude is very stubborn; no matter how you try to persuade him, he won't listen.
Common collocations
- 顽固不化stubbornly refusing to change
- 顽强拼搏to struggle tenaciously
- 顽皮的孩子naughty child
- 顽疾chronic illness, stubborn disease
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 頑 combines 元 (yuán, original/head) with 頁 (yè, head/page), suggesting a head that stubbornly stays in its original position. The simplified form 顽 uses 元 with 刂(knife radical), though the semantic connection is less clear.