noun
Refers to a child's persistent whining or tantrum to get their way. Most commonly used in the set phrase 駄々をこねる (to throw a tantrum).
See also: 駄々をこねる
子供がお菓子を買ってほしくて駄々をこねている。
The child is throwing a tantrum because they want me to buy them candy.
彼は駄々っ子のように泣きわめいた。
He cried and screamed like a spoiled child.
Variant ateji spelling; less common than 駄々.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 駄 are ateji (phonetic characters) and do not contribute to the meaning. The word may be related to the sound of a child's crying or to the reduplicated mimetic form.