Meanings of 竊
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About 竊
Podcast: 竊
Podcast: 竊
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AI Study Notes for 竊
偷 (tōu) - use 竊 (qiè) when emphasizing stealth or secrecy in the act of stealing.
Learners often confuse 竊 with similar-sounding words. Remember, it's informal and primarily used in contexts related to theft or secretive actions. Common collocations include phrases like 竊取 (qièqǔ - to steal) or 竊聽 (qiètīng - to eavesdrop).
While 竊 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other characters related to crime or secrecy, such as 偷 (tōu - to steal). Focus on recognizing its usage in compound words to enhance understanding.
Learners often confuse 竊 with the character 偷, leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我竊东西' instead of '我偷东西' (I steal things) is incorrect; use 偷 for general stealing.
Pronunciation of 竊
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Etymology of 竊
Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 切 represents the sound. Simplified form of 竊.
Termites 禼 taking grain 米 to their nest 穴
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 竊
Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 切 represents the sound. Simplified form of 竊.
- 1The giveawayTermites 禼 taking grain 米 to their nest 穴
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 竊? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 竊?
Decomposition of 竊
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How to say to steal; thief; secret, stealthy in Chinese
“to steal; thief; secret, stealthy” in Chinese is竊
The character 竊 (qiè) primarily means 'to steal' or 'to thieve.' It can also refer to something done in secret or stealthily, often conveying a sense of sneaky behavior. This word is commonly used in contexts involving theft or hidden actions.
When to use 竊
Learners often confuse 竊 with similar-sounding words. Remember, it's informal and primarily used in contexts related to theft or secretive actions. Common collocations include phrases like 竊取 (qièqǔ - to steal) or 竊聽 (qiètīng - to eavesdrop).
竊 or something close to it
偷 (tōu) - use 竊 (qiè) when emphasizing stealth or secrecy in the act of stealing.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 竊 with the character 偷, leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我竊东西' instead of '我偷东西' (I steal things) is incorrect; use 偷 for general stealing.
Write 竊
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Practice writing 竊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 竊
Compound Meaning
What does 盗窃 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 竊
竊 emphasizes a stealthy or secretive action, while 偷 is a more general term for stealing.
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