窃

竊

qiè

verb #6,608

Meanings

1 to steal
2 to pilfer
3 secretly; stealthily

Characters

to steal; secretly

Examples

他被指控窃取公司机密。

Tā bèi zhǐkòng qièqǔ gōngsī jīmì.

He was accused of stealing company secrets.

她窃喜自己通过了考试。

Tā qièxǐ zìjǐ tōngguò le kǎoshì.

She secretly rejoiced at passing the exam.

Tips

usage

窃 is more literary and formal than 偷 (tōu). It appears in compounds like 窃取 (to steal), 窃听 (to eavesdrop), and 窃喜 (to secretly rejoice).

Stroke Order

窃 qiè