偷偷 (tōu tōu) — stealthily; secretly; on the sly
Definition
An adverb meaning 'secretly, on the sly,' always placed before a verb — often reduplicated as 偷偷地. 悄悄 focuses on being quiet; 偷偷 emphasizes the covert, deceptive intent.
adverb
stealthilysecretlyon the sly
Examples
- 偷偷。Tā tōu tōu de kàn le wǒ yì yǎn.He took a stealthy glance at me.
- 偷偷。Tā tōu tōu bǎ lǐ wù fàng zài zhuō shàng le.She secretly put the gift on the table.
- 偷偷，。Bié tōu tōu ná bié rén de dōng xī, nà bú duì.Don't take other people's things on the sly — that's not right.
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