頑 (wán) - Stubborn, obstinate & mischievous, naughty

頑Tone 2

wán ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

頑 · wán

Stubborn, obstinate;

mischievous, naughty;

tough, durable;

in Japanese, often means 'stubborn' or 'naughty'.

Stubborn, obstinatemischievous, naughtytough, durable

Usage highlights

Stubborn childStubbornly sticking to one's opinionMischievous/naughtyDurable/strongStubborn resistanceStubborn illness

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is a stubborn child (頑童).
  • This material is very durable (頑丈).
  • Don't be so obstinate (頑な).
  • She has a mischievous personality (頑皮).

Collocations

  • Stubborn child(頑童)
  • Stubbornly sticking to one's opinion(頑固)
  • Mischievous/naughty(頑皮)
  • Durable/strong(頑丈)
  • Stubborn resistance(頑強抵抗)
  • Stubborn illness(頑疾)

Idioms

  • Stubborn as a rock(冥頑不靈)
  • Stubbornly sticking to outdated ways(頑梗不化)
  • Stubborn resistance to the death(負隅頑抗)
  • Incorrigibly stubborn(頑鈍固執)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, 'stubbornness' (頑固) is generally viewed negatively as inflexibility.
  • In Japanese usage, 頑張る (ganbaru) means 'to persist' or 'do one's best', giving a positive connotation of perseverance.
  • The character combines 'head' (頁) with 'original' (元), suggesting 'original/primitive head' → stubborn thinking.

FAQ