竊 (qiè) - To steal & to pilfer

竊Tone 4

qiè ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

竊 · qiè

To steal;

to pilfer;

to secretly take something belonging to others;

to do something secretly or surreptitiously.

To stealto pilferto secretly take something belonging to others

Usage highlights

To stealThiefTo eavesdropTo embezzleSecretlyTo steal a country

Synonyms

  • 偷— to steal (more common, less formal)
  • 盗— to rob, to steal (often in compound words)

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).
  • She stole a glance at the document (她窃取了文件的一瞥).
  • This is my humble opinion (这是我窃以为的).

Collocations

  • To steal(盗窃)
  • Thief(窃贼)
  • To eavesdrop(窃听)
  • To embezzle(窃取)
  • Secretly(窃窃)
  • To steal a country(窃国)

Idioms

  • Stealing a hook is punished, stealing a country makes you a feudal lord(窃钩者诛，窃国者侯)
  • Whispering to each other(窃窃私语)
  • Stealing the sky and changing the sun(偷天换日 - note: related concept though not containing 窃)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with theft and immoral behavior, carrying strong negative connotations.
  • In classical texts, sometimes used modestly in phrases like '窃以为' (I humbly think) to express opinion.
  • The character's complex structure reflects its meaning of concealed, secretive actions.

FAQ