Good humored or playful teasing is when one person has fun with another person.  Good humored teasing causes everyone to smile or laugh, including the "teasee," the person who is teased.  In contrast, hurtful or cruel teasing is when one person makes fun of another.  Hurtful teasing includes ridicule, name-calling, put-downs, and annoying actions.  Unike good-humored teasing, hurtful teasing may cause the person being teased to feel sad, angry, upset, or helpless.  At times, teasing that is intended to be good-humored may be perceived or interpreted as hurtful.
 More hostile teasing may include tormenting, harassing, or verbal bullying.  According to professional literature, bullying is ongoing, intentional, and frequent, which includes verbal taunting, name-calling, threats, stealing, and acts of physical aggression.  Bullying may begin with teasing and taunting as the bully carefully selects a vulnerable target.