Why do Chinese parents call their kids ‘little devils’? (It’s not just teasing)
<p>When parents call their kids “小鬼” (xiǎo guǐ), aka “little devil/ghost” they usually mean it in a teasing, loving way. But there’s another reason why parents sometimes call their kids little demons (or little pigs, or little dogs, or some other somewhat demeaning term).</p>
<p>It’s been said that in the past, superstitious Chinese people believed that they could protect their kids from roving, kidnapping demons by calling their kids put-down names.</p>
<p>It’s kind of like, “Hey, demon! You don’t want my kid. He’s just a little devil/dog/pig. So leave him alone, ‘kay?”</p>
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