娇惯

• Pinyin: jiāo guàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 娇 = 女 (woman) + 乔 — delicate, pampered; 惯 = 忄(heart) + 贯 — accustomed, habit

Meaning

To spoil; to pamper excessively. To indulge someone, especially a child, to the point of creating bad habits.

Carries a negative connotation, implying that the pampering has gone too far and produced negative results. Often used when discussing child-rearing practices or criticizing over-indulgent parenting. The person who has been spoiled may become 娇气 (delicate/fussy).

Examples

1. 独生子女容易被父母娇惯，长大后难以独立。 Only children are easily spoiled by their parents and have difficulty becoming independent when they grow up.
2. 这孩子被奶奶娇惯坏了，什么都不愿意自己做。 This child has been spoiled rotten by grandma and doesn't want to do anything on their own.
3. 适当的爱护和过度娇惯是两回事。 Appropriate care and excessive pampering are two different things.

Usage Guide

Context: parenting, family, education

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 不能太娇惯孩子。(You can't spoil children too much.)
• 她从小被娇惯，受不了一点苦。(She was spoiled since childhood and can't stand any hardship.)

Don't Say

• 用'娇惯'描述正常的关爱 (Don't use 娇惯 for normal caring — it implies excessive indulgence; use 疼爱 or 关爱 for healthy affection)

Origin & History

Composed of 娇 (delicate; pampered) + 惯 (to be accustomed to; to spoil). Together they mean to make someone accustomed to being pampered.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal