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JLPT N210画 · 10 strokesradical 𠮟 (しつ)freq #1568

theft, steal

On'yomi (音読み)

  • トウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ぬす.む
  • ぬす.み

Mnemonic

A sneaky thief (亻) uses a simple plan (盗) to steal, lurking in the shadows to avoid getting caught.

About this kanji

The kanji 盗, which means "theft" or "to steal," is often used in Japanese to convey actions related to stealing or being stolen. It can function both as a verb and a noun. For example, 盗む (ぬすむ) means "to steal," while 盗難 (とうなん) translates to "theft" in a more general sense. Another compound, 盗聴 (とうちょう), refers to "wiretapping," highlighting the idea of illegally listening to someone’s private conversation. An important note is that while this kanji is mostly associated with negative actions, it can sometimes be used in contexts that involve playful stealing or borrowing among friends.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 彼は貴重品を盗まれた。

    He had his valuables stolen.

Meanings across languages

English
theft, steal
Tiếng Việt
ăn trộm, trộm cắp
日本語
盗み, 盗む
한국어
절도, 훔치다
中文
盗窃, 偷
id
pencurian, mencuri
th
การขโมย, ขโมย
es
robo, robar
fr
vol, voler
de
Diebstahl, Stehlen
pt
furto, roubar

Common compounds

  • 盗難とうなんtheft, burglary
  • 盗むぬすむto steal
  • 盗聴とうちょうwiretapping, eavesdropping

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