Meanings of 竊
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About 竊
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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.
Imagine a sneaky thief (竊) tiptoeing through a dark room, trying to steal valuable items without being noticed. The character 竊 looks like a person with a stealthy stance, with the top part resembling a head and the bottom part symbolizing movement.
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.
In Chinese culture, theft is often associated with serious social stigma, and the concept of 竊 is linked to the moral teachings found in Confucianism that emphasize honesty and integrity in society.
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
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 竊?
Decomposition of 竊
Identify the Components
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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.
Cultural Notes for 竊
In Chinese culture, theft is often associated with serious social stigma, and the concept of 竊 is linked to the moral teachings found in Confucianism that emphasize honesty and integrity in society.
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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