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小偷儿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
小偷儿xiǎotōurthiefHSK 6, unknown, 16 strokes, Hard
小偷儿xiǎotōurthiefHSK 6, unknown, 16 strokes, Hard
xiǎotōur(xiao3 tou1 er2)xiao tou er
primary
  1. 1thief
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March 24, 2026

小偷儿xiǎotōur(xiao3 tou1 er2)

小偷儿 (xiǎo tōu ér) means 'thief' in Mandarin, specifically referring to a petty or small-time thief. It is commonly used in informal contexts to describe someone who steals minor items, often evoking a sense of mischief rather than serious criminality. The term can also imply a lack of sophistication in the act of stealing.

Strokes16DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of a 小偷儿 is often seen in folklore and media, where petty thieves are portrayed with humor rather than as serious criminals. This reflects a cultural tendency to view minor theft as a relatable, albeit wrong, behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small child (小, xiǎo) sneaking around, trying to steal (偷, tōu) cookies from the kitchen. The '儿' (ér) at the end adds a playful tone, as if the child is being mischievous rather than malicious, making it easier to remember that this word refers to a petty thief.

Meanings of 小偷儿

xiǎotōur(xiao3 tou1 er2)
primary
1thief
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About 小偷儿

小偷儿Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

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Podcast: 小偷儿

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AI Study Notes for 小偷儿

Quick Contrast

小偷 (thief) — use 小偷儿 when emphasizing the informality or mischief of the theft.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to use 小偷儿 in formal contexts, as it has a casual tone. Common collocations include phrases like 小偷儿被抓 (the thief was caught) or 小偷儿行为 (thief behavior). Watch out for tone mistakes, as mispronouncing the tones can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 小偷儿 may not be present in the official HSK vocabulary, its components (小, 偷) are relevant at HSK 1 and 2 levels. Students should focus on recognizing the individual characters and their meanings, as they can help in forming a broader vocabulary related to crime and behavior.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 小偷儿 with 盗贼 (dàozéi), which refers to a more serious thief or burglar. Remember that 小偷儿 specifically denotes a petty thief, emphasizing light-heartedness rather than severity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 小偷儿

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Component Characters

小xiǎosmall
HSK 13 strokes小
View full entry
偷tōuto steal
HSK 611 strokes亻
View full entry
儿érson
HSK 72 strokes儿
View full entry

How to say thief in Chinese

“thief” in Chinese is小偷儿xiǎotōur

小偷儿 (xiǎo tōu ér) means 'thief' in Mandarin, specifically referring to a petty or small-time thief. It is commonly used in informal contexts to describe someone who steals minor items, often evoking a sense of mischief rather than serious criminality. The term can also imply a lack of sophistication in the act of stealing.

When to use 小偷儿

Be careful not to use 小偷儿 in formal contexts, as it has a casual tone. Common collocations include phrases like 小偷儿被抓 (the thief was caught) or 小偷儿行为 (thief behavior). Watch out for tone mistakes, as mispronouncing the tones can lead to misunderstandings.

小偷儿 or something close to it

小偷 (thief) — use 小偷儿 when emphasizing the informality or mischief of the theft.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 小偷儿 with 盗贼 (dàozéi), which refers to a more serious thief or burglar. Remember that 小偷儿 specifically denotes a petty thief, emphasizing light-heartedness rather than severity.

Write 小偷儿

小
偷
儿

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Frequently Asked Questions about 小偷儿

No, 小偷儿 is informal and is used to refer to petty thieves.

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