小偷儿

• Pinyin: xiǎo tōu r
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = pictograph of small items; 偷 = 亻 (person) + 俞 (to pass through), meaning to steal; 儿 = erhua suffix

Meaning

Thief; pickpocket. A person who steals, especially petty theft or pickpocketing.

The 儿 suffix is characteristic of northern Chinese dialects, particularly Beijing. Refers to petty thieves rather than armed robbers (强盗) or burglars (窃贼). Often used in everyday contexts about street crime or pickpocketing.

Examples

1. 在人多的地方要小心小偷儿。 Be careful of pickpockets in crowded places.
2. 他的钱包被小偷儿偷走了。 His wallet was stolen by a thief.
3. 警察抓住了那个小偷儿。 The police caught that thief.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, crime

Tone: warning

Do Say

• 当心小偷儿！(Watch out for thieves!)
• 这一带小偷儿很多。(There are many thieves in this area.)

Don't Say

• 他是一个大小偷儿 (The 小 is part of the word; for a major thief use 大盗 or 窃贼)

Origin & History

小 (small) + 偷 (to steal) + 儿 (diminutive suffix), literally a small-time thief.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal