偷窃

偷竊

tōuqiè

verb #5,868

Meanings

1 to steal
2 to pilfer
3 theft

Characters

to steal; to pilfer

to steal; secretly

Examples

偷窃是违法行为。

Tōuqiè shì wéifǎ xíngwéi.

Stealing is an illegal act.

他因偷窃被抓了。

Tā yīn tōuqiè bèi zhuā le.

He was caught for stealing.

Tips

usage

偷窃 is more formal than 偷 alone. 偷 is used in everyday speech, while 偷窃 appears in legal or news contexts. Compare: 他偷了我的钱 (casual) vs. 偷窃罪 (theft crime, formal).

Stroke Order

偷 tōu

窃 qiè