About
The character 偷 is a phono-semantic compound with the human radical 亻 on the left, indicating an action related to people, and the phonetic component 俞 on the right, providing its pronunciation. Originally, it meant being negligent, lazy, or evading responsibilities, describing someone who shirked duties. Over time, the primary meaning shifted to denote stealing, taking something without permission, or acting secretly and stealthily, which is now the dominant sense in modern Chinese.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他偷了一个苹果。
小偷偷偷地走了。
她偷看了我的日记。
不要偷别人的东西。
他因偷窃被警察逮捕。
偷懒是不好的习惯。
他试图偷走那辆自行车。
在黑暗中，他偷偷潜入房间。