About
The character "盗", denoting theft or a thief, originated from the traditional form 盜, which is composed of 㳄, representing flowing saliva or craving, and 皿, a vessel or dish, conceptually illustrating the act of desiring and taking what belongs to others. This structural etymology points to an ancient interpretation of theft as a consequence of covetousness, where the imagery of saliva over a container implies an unbridled want for possessions. Over time, the meaning of the character expanded from its concrete sense of physical robbery to encompass more abstract forms of unauthorized appropriation, such as plagiarism or the corruption of virtues. The simplified iteration 盗 resulted from a broader historical trend of streamlining character orthography, modifying the original components while maintaining the core semantic association with illicit acquisition.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
盗贼被警察抓住了。
他因盗窃罪入狱。
盗版软件是非法的。
海盗在海上抢劫船只。
防盗门能保护家庭安全。
盗用他人身份是严重的犯罪。
考古学家发现了盗墓的痕迹。
网络盗窃案件日益增多。