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窃取 (qiè qǔ) — to steal (usu. information, secrets, intellectual property)

Definition

A formal verb for stealing intangible things — secrets, data, intellectual property. Stronger and more written than 偷; shares the information focus of 走漏 but stresses the act of taking, not leaking.

verb
to steal (usu. information, secrets, intellectual property)

Examples

  • 窃取。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī bèi zhǐ kòng qiè qǔ jìng zhēng duì shǒu de shāng yè jī mì.
    This company is accused of stealing trade secrets from its competitors.
  • 窃取。
    Bú yào qiè qǔ tā rén de shēn fèn xìn xī.
    Don't steal other people's identity information.
  • 窃取。
    Tā yīn wèi qiè qǔ jī mì wén jiàn bèi pàn xíng le.
    He was sentenced for stealing classified documents.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

窃qièsteal
取qǔtake

Both 窃 and 取 involve taking away, so together they mean to steal.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 竊; 窃 is its simplified writing.

  • 米米mǐrice
  • 攴攴pūaction
  • 禼禼xiè

For 窃, the traditional form 竊 combines 米 and 攴 with 禼, which gives the sound.

Open 窃 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Crime & Police

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