天然呆 tiānrándāi

Meaning:

“天然” is “natural,” and “呆” is “dumb.” Literally translating as “naturally dumb,” the phrase comes from Japanese referring to naive, innocent and cute young girls or boys. Originally it was used to describe characters in animation, comic books or games. Lacking common sense, such characters may do or say things that make other people laugh. Now it is also used to describe real-life persons.

Example:

A: 听说你最近桃花很旺？

Tīngshuō nǐ zuìjìn táohuā hěn wàng?

I’ve heard you are favored by Cupid these days?

B: 我找了个女朋友，网上认识的。

Wǒ zhǎo le gè nǚpéngyou, wǎngshang rènshí de。

I’ve got a girlfriend whom I met online.

A: 干什么的？

Gàn shénme de?

What’s her deal?

B: 自由职业，她写小说。

Zìyóu zhíyè, tā xiě xiǎoshuō。

She is a freelancer and writes novels.

A: 我们周末唱歌，叫她一起吧。

Wǒmen zhōumò chànggē, jiào tā yīqǐ ba。

We are going to karaoke this weekend. Bring her along.

B: 我问问她。她很宅，有点天然呆。

Wǒ wènwen tā。Tā hěn zhái, yǒudiǎn tiānrándāi。

I will ask her. She is a homebody, and kind of muddle-headed and naive.

A: 天然呆？

Tiānrándāi？

Muddle-headed and naive?

B: 就是你跟她聊天，她会一愣一愣的。

Jìushi nǐ gēn tā liáotiān, tā huì yīlèngyīlèng de。

When you chat with her, she may not get what you said.