窃 (qiè) - to steal & to pilfer

窃Tone 4

qiè ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

窃 · qiè

to steal;

to pilfer;

secretly;

surreptitiously;

used to express modesty or humility in referring to oneself.

to stealto pilfersecretly

Usage highlights

to stealthiefto eavesdropto steal secretsto pilferhumble opinion

Synonyms

  • 偷— to steal
  • 盗— to rob, to steal

Antonyms

  • 赠— to give as a gift
  • 还— to return

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The thief stole the wallet (窃贼偷了钱包).
  • He secretly listened to their conversation (他窃听了他们的对话).
  • I humbly think this is a good idea (窃以为这是个好主意).
  • Industrial espionage involves stealing secrets (工业间谍活动涉及窃取机密).

Collocations

  • to steal(盗窃)
  • thief(窃贼)
  • to eavesdrop(窃听)
  • to steal secrets(窃取机密)
  • to pilfer(扒窃)
  • humble opinion(窃以为)

Idioms

  • Stealing a bell while covering one's ears(掩耳盗铃)
  • To steal the sky and change the sun(偷天换日)
  • To steal beams and change pillars(偷梁换柱)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically carries strong negative moral connotations associated with theft and dishonesty.
  • Used in classical Chinese as a humble first-person pronoun, similar to 'your humble servant'.
  • The character structure combines 'hole' (穴) and 'to cut' (切), suggesting stealthy action.

FAQ