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

HSK 3

一定是有人在背后捣鬼，才让事情变得这么复杂。

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

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

HSK 5

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