偷看

• Pinyin: tōu kàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 偷 = 亻(person) + 俞 — to steal; 看 = 手 + 目 — to look

Meaning

To peek; to sneak a look; to spy on; to read secretly.

To look at something stealthily without permission or knowledge of others. Can be playful or serious depending on context. Often used for peeking at answers, secretly reading messages, or glancing at someone.

Examples

1. 考试的时候偷看别人的答案是作弊行为。 Peeking at others' answers during exams is cheating.
2. 她偷看了男朋友的手机，结果发现了一些不该看的东西。 She secretly looked at her boyfriend's phone and discovered some things she shouldn't have seen.
3. 小孩子总喜欢偷看大人在干什么。 Kids always like to sneak a look at what adults are doing.

Usage Guide

Context: exams, relationships, privacy

Tone: disapproving or playful

Do Say

• 偷看答案。(To peek at the answers.)
• 偷看一眼。(To sneak a glance.)

Don't Say

• 把正常观察叫'偷看' (偷看 implies secrecy or impropriety — for normal looking, use 看 or 瞧)

Origin & History

偷 means to steal/secretly, 看 means to look — to look secretly.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal