偷 (tōu) - To steal & to pilfer

偷Tone 1

tōu ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

偷 · tōu

To steal;

to pilfer;

to snatch;

to act stealthily;

to be lazy;

to take time off;

to seize (an opportunity);

to be perfunctory.

To stealto pilferto snatch

Usage highlights

To stealTo steal moneyTo steal a lookTo snatch leisureTo be lazyStealthily

Synonyms

  • 窃— To steal; to pilfer (more formal)
  • 盗— To rob; to steal (often implies robbery)
  • 扒— To pickpocket

Antonyms

  • 还— To return; to give back
  • 赠— To give as a gift
  • 献— To offer; to dedicate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He stole money from the store (偷钱).
  • She sneaked a look at the answers (偷看答案).
  • We managed to snatch a moment of rest (偷闲).
  • He is lazy and avoids work (偷懒).

Collocations

  • To steal(偷窃)
  • To steal money(偷钱)
  • To steal a look(偷看)
  • To snatch leisure(偷闲)
  • To be lazy(偷懒)
  • Stealthily(偷偷)

Idioms

  • To muddle through one's work(偷工减料)
  • Unable to achieve anything, unable to retreat(偷不得，躲不得)
  • To steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used as bait(偷鸡不着蚀把米)
  • To steal the sky and swap the sun(偷天换日)
  • To steal a kiss(偷香窃玉)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character carries strong negative moral connotations, associated with dishonesty and criminal behavior.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, theft is considered one of the most shameful acts, damaging both social harmony and personal integrity.
  • The concept appears in many Chinese idioms and proverbs warning against dishonest behavior and its consequences.

FAQ