窃

竊

qiè

切 + 穴

Definitions

qiè (verb) to steal; to take secretly

qiè (pronoun) (humble) I

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 切 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "to steal rice". The meaning of this character has shifted over time and now means "secretly". Simplified form of 竊.

Semantic: 穴 Phonetic: 切

About

The character 窃 is a simplified form of the much more complex traditional character 竊. It is a phono-semantic compound in which the radical 穴 (cave) at the top suggests hiding places or concealed activity, and the component 切 (qiè) below indicates the pronunciation. In its traditional form, 竊 originally combined 穴 with elements for rice and a small creature, depicting an insect or rodent stealing rice from a hidden burrow; this gave the character its original meaning "to steal rice". Over time the meaning shifted from theft to the broader idea of secrecy, and today 窃 functions almost exclusively as an adverb meaning "secretly" or "furtively", describing actions performed without others' knowledge.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他窃取了资料。

Tā qièqǔle zīliào.

He stole the materials.

小偷盗窃了钱包。

Xiǎotōu dàoqièle qiánbāo.

The thief stole the wallet.

她窃听了他的电话。

Tā qiètīngle tā de diànhuà.

She eavesdropped on his phone call.

窃贼被警察抓住了。

Qièzéi bèi jǐngchá zhuā zhùle.

The thief was caught by the police.

他因盗窃罪被判刑。

Tā yīn dàoqiè zuì bèi pànxíng.

He was sentenced for theft.

商业间谍窃取了公司秘密。

Shāngyè jiàndié qièqǔle gōngsī mìmì.

The corporate spy stole company secrets.

防止数据窃取是重要任务。

Fángzhǐ shùjù qièqǔ shì zhòngyào rènwù.

Preventing data theft is an important task.

他们窃取技术成果的行为可耻。

Tāmen qièqǔ jìshù chéngguǒ de xíngwéi kěchǐ.

Their act of stealing technological achievements is shameful.

Related Characters

Component: 切

Component: 穴

窃