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March 24, 2026
偷tōu(tou1)
The character 偷 (tōu) means 'to steal' or 'to pilfer,' referring to the act of taking something that does not belong to you, often done secretly or stealthily. It can also imply a sense of sneakiness, as in stealthily obtaining something without being noticed. Common contexts include discussions about theft, burglary, or any illicit acquisition of property.
Strokes11Radical亻Frequency#597DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, theft is often viewed with severe disapproval, reflecting deep-rooted values around respect for property and communal harmony. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is also tied to stealing, as being caught can lead to significant loss of reputation.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sneaky thief tiptoeing away with a bag of stolen goods, representing the character 偷. The left component '亻' (rén) signifies a person, while the right component '偷' resembles a hand reaching out to snatch something. Think of 'tōu' as 'to' (as in going towards) and 'steal' together as a reminder of the action.
Meanings of 偷
tōu(tou1)
1to steal
2to pilfer
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 偷
偷Simplified
11Strokes
亻Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#597Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 偷
Podcast: 偷
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AI Study Notes for 偷
Quick Contrast
盗 (dào) refers specifically to 'to rob' or 'to plunder,' often involving force or threat, while 偷 (tōu) emphasizes stealth and secrecy in the act of stealing.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a sneaky thief tiptoeing away with a bag of stolen goods, representing the character 偷. The left component '亻' (rén) signifies a person, while the right component '偷' resembles a hand reaching out to snatch something. Think of 'tōu' as 'to' (as in going towards) and 'steal' together as a reminder of the action.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone of 'tōu'; it should always be pronounced in the first tone. A common mistake is mixing up with '头' (tóu), which means 'head.' Additionally, it is often used in phrases like 偷窃 (tōu qiè) meaning 'theft' and can carry a negative connotation, so it’s best used in informal contexts.
HSK Study Tips
At HSK Level 5, students should focus on understanding the implications of 偷 in various contexts, such as legal discussions or crime-related topics. This word is connected to other verbs of action, so practice using it with other verbs to enhance vocabulary richness.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, theft is often viewed with severe disapproval, reflecting deep-rooted values around respect for property and communal harmony. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is also tied to stealing, as being caught can lead to significant loss of reputation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 偷 (tōu) with 走 (zǒu), which means 'to walk away.' For example, saying '我想走东西' instead of '我想偷东西' is incorrect. Ensure you use '偷' when referring to stealing.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 偷
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Grammar Patterns of 偷
偷 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
During the riots hundreds of people seized the opportunity to steal property.
Cultural Notes for 偷
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, theft is often viewed with severe disapproval, reflecting deep-rooted values around respect for property and communal harmony. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is also tied to stealing, as being caught can lead to significant loss of reputation.
Word Family of 偷
Words Containing This Character20
偷tōuto steal
偷偷tōutōustealthily
小偷thief
偷拍to take a picture of a person without permission or without their knowledge
偷窃to steal偷竊
偷袭to raid偷襲
偷看tōukànto peep
偷懒tōulǎnto goof off偷懶
偷情to carry on a clandestine love affair
偷窥tōukuīto peep偷窺
偷听to eavesdrop偷聽
偷偷摸摸surreptitious
偷盗to steal偷盜
偷渡illegal immigration
偷税tax evasion偷稅
偷工减料jerry-building偷工減料
偷运to smuggle偷運
偷漏to evade (taxes)
偷梁换柱to replace the original with a fake偷梁換柱
偷生to live without purpose
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 偷 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 偷
Some synonyms for 偷 (tōu) include 盗 (dào), which also means 'to steal,' and 窃 (qiè), which carries a similar meaning. Each of these words can have slightly different connotations depending on the context.
Yes, 偷 is often used in phrases such as '偷看' (tōu kàn), meaning 'to peek' or 'to sneak a look.' Another common phrase is '偷天换日' (tōu tiān huàn rì), which means 'to make a secret exchange.' These phrases illustrate the stealthy aspect of the character.
偷 (tōu) means 'to steal' or 'to pilfer' in Chinese. It can also imply doing something stealthily or secretly. The character is commonly used in contexts involving theft or sneaky actions.
You can use 偷 in sentences to describe actions related to stealing. For example, '他偷了我的书' (Tā tōule wǒ de shū) means 'He stole my book.' It can also be used in phrases like '偷懒' (tōu lǎn), meaning 'to slack off'.
偷 is generally used in informal contexts, while more formal terms like '盗' (dào) are preferred in official writing.
Yes, '盗' (dào) is a more formal synonym for stealing, and '抢' (qiǎng) means to snatch.
Common phrases include 偷偷 (tōutōu), meaning 'secretly,' and 偷窃 (tōu qiè), meaning 'theft'.
