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盗窃罪 (dào qiè zuì) — larceny, theft (as a crime)

Definition

A formal legal term meaning the crime of theft — used in statutes, verdicts, and police/legal contexts. 罪 here marks it as a named criminal offense, distinguishing it from the act word 盗窃.

noun
larcenytheft (as a crime)

Examples

  • 盗窃罪。
    Tā yīn dào qiè zuì bèi pàn chǔ sān nián yǒu qī tú xíng.
    He was sentenced to three years in prison for larceny.
  • 盗窃罪。
    dào qiè zuì Shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de cái chǎn fàn zuì.
    Larceny is a common property crime.
  • 盗窃罪。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá zhè qǐ dào qiè zuì àn jiàn.
    The police are investigating this larceny case.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

盗窃steal
盗dàosteal窃qièsteal
联合Coordinate
罪zuìcrime

盗窃罪 joins 盗 and 窃, both steal, to 罪, crime, naming the crime of stealing.

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 盜; 盗 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 盜 combines 㳄 (drooling/craving) with a vessel shape, meaning to covet someone else's possessions and steal; 盗 is the simplified writing of 盜.

Open 盗 →

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.

罪 puts 罒 (a net, written fully as 网) over 非 (mistake).

Open 罪 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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