About
The character for "thief" or "robber" originates from a concept of violent appropriation, as evidenced by its traditional form, "賊", which is structurally composed of the component for "shell" (貝), an ancient symbol of currency and value, combined with the component for "weapon" or "military force" (戎). This combination initially pointed not merely to theft but to a more severe act of damaging or destroying property or social order through force, effectively denoting one who plunders or commits treason. Over centuries, its primary meaning narrowed to focus more specifically on the act of stealing and the individual who commits it, shifting from a broader sense of violent transgression to the common criminal who illicitly takes the possessions of others. The simplified form, "贼", retains the "贝" component to signify the object of the crime but modifies the other element, yet the enduring semantic core continues to link unlawful acquisition with the violation represented by its original martial constituent.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
警察抓住了那个贼。
这个贼很狡猾。
昨晚有一个贼进了我家。
盗贼偷走了她的钱包。
这苹果贼甜。
今天的天气贼好。
那个贼悄悄地溜进了房间。
虽然那个贼被抓了，但他不肯承认偷了东西。