盗窃

• Pinyin: dào qiè
• Hanzi breakdown: 盗 = 次 + 皿 (theft by coveting); 窃 = 穴 + 切 (to pilfer secretly from hiding)

Meaning

To steal; to commit theft. A verb and noun referring to the unlawful taking of property. The standard legal and formal term for theft.

The primary legal term for theft in Chinese law, used in police reports, court documents, and news coverage. Encompasses petty theft and organised crime. More formal and serious in connotation than the colloquial 偷.

Examples

1. 他因多次盗窃财物被依法判处有期徒刑三年。 He was sentenced according to law to three years in prison for repeatedly stealing property.
2. 商场安装了大量摄像头以有效预防盗窃行为的发生。 The shopping mall installed a large number of cameras to effectively prevent theft.
3. 网络盗窃个人信息已成为一种新型的犯罪形式。 The online theft of personal information has become a new form of crime.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, news, security

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 构成盗窃罪。(Constitutes the crime of theft.)
• 防范盗窃犯罪。(Prevent theft crimes.)

Don't Say

• 她盗窃了我的心 — 盗窃 is a legal criminal term; use 偷走了我的心 for romantic expressions

Origin & History

盗 (to steal) + 窃 (to pilfer secretly). Both characters carry the meaning of unlawful taking, together emphasising covert theft.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal