贼头贼脑 (zéi tóu zéi nǎo) — stealthy; furtive; sneaky

Definition

Describes a person's sneaky, furtive behavior or manner — usually modifies a verb with 地/的 (e.g. 贼头贼脑地走进来). Negative and colloquial; tells you the person looks like they are up to no good.

idiom
stealthyfurtivesneaky

Examples

  • 贼头贼脑，。
    Tā zéi tóu zéi nǎo dì zǒu jìn lái, dà jiā dōu hěn qí guài.
    He walked in furtively, and everyone found it strange.
  • 贼头贼脑，。
    Tā shuō huà shí zéi tóu zéi nǎo de, ràng rén bú fàng xīn.
    He speaks in a sneaky way that makes people uneasy.
  • 贼头贼脑，。
    Bié zéi tóu zéi nǎo de, yǒu huà zhí shuō.
    Don't be so furtive; just say what you have to say.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

贼头sneaky head
贼zéisneaky头tóuhead
偏正Modifier + head
贼脑sneaky mind
贼zéisneaky脑nǎobrain
偏正Modifier + head

贼头 and 贼脑 stand side by side, suggesting a thief-like look.

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 賊; 贼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēweapon
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé賊zéi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 賊 combines 戈, a weapon, with 則 to give the pronunciation; the simplified 贼 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 贼 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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 賊; 贼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēweapon
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé賊zéi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 賊 combines 戈, a weapon, with 則 to give the pronunciation; the simplified 贼 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 贼 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

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