The Chinese word **窃贼 (qièzéi)**, meaning "thief" or "burglar," is a compound noun formed by combining two characters with closely related meanings: **窃 (qiè)**, which means "to steal" or "to do something stealthily," and **贼 (zéi)**, which means "thief" or "traitor." Together, they create a more specific and formal term than either character alone, where 窃 describes the covert, furtive nature of the action, and 贼 identifies the person who commits it, thus precisely denoting a person who steals in a secretive or burglarious manner.