The word 偷情 is formed by combining two characters to create a vivid, metaphorical concept. The first character, 偷 (tōu), means "to steal", evoking actions done in secrecy and stealth. The second, 情 (qíng), means "love", "affection", or "passion". Together, they don't just label the act of an affair, but poetically construct its essence: it portrays illicit love as something furtively "stolen" , hidden from society, taken outside the bounds of commitment, and charged with the thrill and guilt of a secret act.