How do you use "Cranky" in a sentence?

The baby gets cranky when she's tired. Sorry I'm cranky—I didn't get much sleep. He's always cranky before his morning coffee. Don't be cranky with me!

Cranky

Q: What does "Cranky" mean?

Irritable or bad-tempered Being cranky means being in an irritable mood, easily annoyed, grumpy. It's often used for children who are tired or hungry, but adults can be cranky too. The word has a slightly affectionate quality—cranky people are annoying but not scary.

Slang Term AmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Irritable or bad-tempered

易怒的或脾气不好的

Irritable o malhumorado

気難しい、機嫌が悪い

짜증 잘 내는, 기분이 까칠한

Being cranky means being in an irritable mood, easily annoyed, grumpy. It's often used for children who are tired or hungry, but adults can be cranky too. The word has a slightly affectionate quality—cranky people are annoying but not scary.

脾气暴躁意味着心情烦躁、容易生气、不开心。常用于描述累了或饿了的孩子，但大人也可以脾气暴躁。这个词带有一点亲切的意味——脾气暴躁的人令人恼火但不可怕。

Estar 'cranky' significa estar de humor irritable, fácilmente molesto, gruñón. A menudo se usa para niños que están cansados o hambrientos, pero los adultos también pueden estar irritables. La palabra tiene una cualidad ligeramente afectuosa—las personas irritables son molestas pero no aterradoras.

「Cranky」はイライラした気分で、すぐに不機嫌になる状態を意味します。疲れたり空腹の子供によく使われますが、大人もcrankyになれます。この言葉にはやや愛情のこもったニュアンスがあります——機嫌の悪い人は困るけど怖くはない。

cranky는 짜증이 나서 사소한 일에도 쉽게 화가 나는 기분 상태를 말한다. 주로 피곤하거나 배고픈 아이들에게 쓰이지만 어른에게도 사용할 수 있다. 약간 애정 어린 뉘앙스가 있어서, 짜증 내는 사람이 귀찮긴 해도 무섭지는 않다는 느낌이다.

Examples

The baby gets cranky when she's tired.
宝宝累了就会闹脾气。
El bebé se pone irritable cuando está cansada.
赤ちゃんは疲れると機嫌が悪くなる。
아기가 피곤하면 짜증을 부려.
Sorry I'm cranky—I didn't get much sleep.
抱歉我脾气不好——没怎么睡。
Perdón si estoy de mal humor—no dormí mucho.
機嫌悪くてごめん——あまり寝てないんだ。
짜증 내서 미안—잠을 많이 못 잤어.
He's always cranky before his morning coffee.
他早上没喝咖啡前总是脾气暴躁。
Siempre está malhumorado antes de su café de la mañana.
朝のコーヒー前はいつも不機嫌なんだ。
아침 커피 마시기 전에는 항상 까칠해.
Don't be cranky with me!
别对我发脾气！
¡No estés de mal humor conmigo!
私に当たらないで！
나한테 짜증 부리지 마!

Pronunciation

/ˈkræŋki/

Usage Guide

Context: friends, family, children

Tone: mildly critical, often affectionate

✓ Do Say

Don't be cranky.
别发脾气。
No estés de mal humor.
機嫌悪くならないで。
짜증 부리지 마.
She's cranky today.
她今天脾气不好。
Está irritable hoy.
今日は機嫌悪いね。
오늘 좀 까칠하네.
I'm feeling cranky.
我心情不太好。
Me siento malhumorado.
ちょっとイライラしてる。
좀 짜증이 나.

✗ Don't Say

Too casual for serious anger descriptions
对于描述严重的愤怒太过随意
Demasiado casual para descripciones de enfado serio
深刻な怒りを表すにはカジュアルすぎる
심각한 분노를 표현하기에는 너무 가벼움
British speakers might say 'grumpy' instead
英国人可能会说'grumpy'
Los británicos podrían decir 'grumpy' en su lugar
イギリス人は代わりに「grumpy」と言うかも
영국 사람들은 대신 'grumpy'를 쓸 수 있음

Common Mistakes

It's mild irritability, not serious anger
In British English, 'cranky' can mean eccentric (different meaning)

Origin & History

American usage from the 19th century, possibly from 'crank' in the sense of a eccentric or difficult person, or from German 'krank' (sick). The word suggests someone operating poorly, like a cranky machine.

Etymology: Possibly from 'crank' (eccentric person) or German 'krank' (sick)

First recorded: American usage from the 1800s

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common in American family contexts; Used frequently with children

Regional notes: American and Australian primarily. British speakers may use it differently (meaning eccentric).

Variations

A bit crankyGetting crankyCranky pants