偷
steal; thief; secretly; spare time; muddle along
Meanings
5 senses · 25 examplesverb
to steal; to take secretly
The core meaning of the character, referring to unlawful taking of others' property.
My wallet was stolen by someone.
He stole his neighbor's bicycle.
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A thief stole a bag of snacks in the supermarket.
He was caught by the police for stealing.
Someone stole new books from the school library.
noun
thief; stealer
Often used with a diminutive suffix 儿 in colloquial speech, as in 小偷儿.
This habitual thief has been wanted by the police.
That little thief ran away when I wasn't looking.
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Residents in the community are all on guard against thieves.
The police caught a thief suspected of robbery.
This thief specifically commits crimes at subway stations.
adverb
secretly; covertly; in secret
Used before verbs to indicate that an action is done without others knowing.
He secretly glanced at the answer on the blackboard.
She hid behind the corner and listened to others' conversation secretly.
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He sneaked across the river under cover of night.
I sneaked back home without wanting Mom to find out.
He secretly put the gift on my desk.
verb
to spare (time); to find (free time)
informalCommonly used in fixed phrases like 偷空儿 and 忙里偷闲 to describe finding time amid a busy schedule.
I found some free time amid busyness to have a cup of coffee.
He spares time every day to practice playing the guitar.
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I spared time to watch a movie on the weekend.
He always can find time to rest amid busy work.
Mom spared time amid her busy schedule to knit a sweater for me.
verb
to muddle along; to seek temporary comfort
formalUsed in formal or literary contexts to describe avoiding long-term planning and only seeking immediate comfort or safety.
We cannot just seek temporary comfort; we must consider long-term development.
The rulers of this country only want to muddle along and are unwilling to reform.
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Facing the crisis, we cannot muddle along and must respond actively.
He was tired of this muddling-along life and decided to go out and make his way.
Seeking temporary comfort will lead to endless future troubles.