撒娇 has no clean English equivalent — it's a recognized social move where someone (usually a child, partner, or pet) deliberately acts adorably helpless or pouty to soften the listener and get their way. In Mandarin pop culture,
撒娇 is treated as a real skill, especially for girlfriends; the Sandrine Pinna / Vivian Sung film 《
撒娇女人最好命》("Women Who Flirt", 2014) takes it as its premise.