The Chinese word **偷拍** is a compound verb formed by combining the character **偷** (tōu), meaning "to steal" or "to do something secretly/stealthily," with the character **拍** (pāi), meaning "to photograph" or "to shoot (a picture)." Together, they create a new semantic unit where the action of "photographing" is modified by the manner of "stealth," resulting in the meaning "to secretly photograph" or "to take candid shots," almost always implying the subject is unaware and non-consenting, thus carrying a strong negative connotation associated with invasion of privacy.