捣鬼

搗鬼

dǎoguǐ

verb #22,714

Meanings

1 to play tricks
2 to cause mischief
3 to scheme behind the scenes

Characters

to pound / to stir up / to make trouble

ghost / devil / sly person

Examples

一定是有人在背后捣鬼，才让事情变得这么复杂。

Yīdìng shì yǒurén zài bèihòu dǎoguǐ, cái ràng shìqíng biàn de zhème fùzá.

Someone must be scheming behind the scenes to make things this complicated.

别在这里捣鬼，老实交代！

Bié zài zhèlǐ dǎoguǐ, lǎoshí jiāodài!

Stop playing tricks here and come clean!

Tips

memory

捣 means to pound or stir up trouble, and 鬼 means ghost or devil — 捣鬼 evokes the image of a mischievous ghost stirring up chaos, which is exactly what a schemer does.

Stroke Order

捣 dǎo

鬼 guǐ