戝 (zéi) - Thief, robber & to steal

戝Tone 2

zéi ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

戝 · zéi

Thief, robber;

to steal;

used in historical or literary contexts.

Thief, robberto stealused in historical or literary contexts.

Usage highlights

ThiefBanditTraitorThief's denThief's accompliceThief's head

Synonyms

  • 盗— robber, thief
  • 偷— to steal, thief
  • 窃— to steal, theft

Antonyms

  • 警— police, alert
  • 忠— loyal, faithful
  • 诚— honest, sincere

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The police caught the thief (贼).
  • He was accused of theft (偷贼).
  • That man is a notorious bandit (盗贼).
  • The rebels were labeled as traitors (反贼).

Collocations

  • Thief(贼)
  • Bandit(盗贼)
  • Traitor(反贼)
  • Thief's den(贼窝)
  • Thief's accomplice(贼伙)
  • Thief's head(贼首)

Idioms

  • A thief crying 'Stop thief!'(贼喊捉贼)
  • Having the heart of a thief but lacking the courage(有贼心没贼胆)
  • Recognizing a thief as one's father(认贼作父)
  • A thief's ugly appearance is easily revealed(贼眉鼠眼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used to denote thieves, robbers, and traitors in classical Chinese literature.
  • In modern usage, often appears in idioms and fixed expressions rather than daily conversation.
  • Carries strong negative connotations of dishonesty and treachery.

FAQ