いたずら書がき

い

た

ず

ら

が

き

Meanings

noun

scribbling; doodling; graffiti

Refers to idle or mischievous drawings, scribbles, or graffiti, often done absentmindedly or as a prank.

ノートの端はしにいたずら書がきをしてしまった。
I ended up doodling in the margin of my notebook.
壁かべにいたずら書がきをするのはやめなさい。
Stop scribbling on the wall.

Kanji

書write
悪bad, vice, rascal
戯frolic, play, sport
徒on foot, junior, emptiness

Related words

落らく書がきN2
落書き is a neutral term for any scribble or doodle, while いたずら書き specifically implies mischievous or playful scribbling, often by children.

Written forms

いたずら書がきUsage88%
Standard mixed kanji-kana spelling; the most common written form.
悪戯いたずら書がきUsage12%
Full kanji spelling using 悪戯 for いたずら; less common but still encountered.
悪戯いたずら書がき
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana variant; rarely used.
徒いたずら書がき
Alternate kanji spelling; uncommon.

Etymology

Compound of いたずら (mischief, prank) and 書き (writing, drawing). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word transparently means 'mischief writing'.