Tā niánqīng shí céng shì gè dìpǐ, hòulái gǎiguò zìxīn.
He used to be a local ruffian when young, but later turned over a new leaf.
Tips
usage
地痞 refers specifically to local troublemakers who use intimidation within a community — different from a general criminal (罪犯). The character 痞 (pǐ) itself means a scoundrel or ruffian, and appears in 痞子 (pǐzi), a common term for a hoodlum.
