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盗贼 (dào zéi) — robbers; bandits

Definition

noun
robbersbandits
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 盗贼。
    Jǐng chá zhuā zhù le jǐ gè dào zéi.
    The police caught several robbers.
  • 盗贼。
    Zhè xiē dào zéi tōu zǒu le hěn duō guì zhòng wù pǐn.
    These bandits stole many valuable items.
  • 盗贼。
    Gǔ dài dào zéi jīng cháng zài yè lǐ xíng dòng.
    Ancient bandits often operated at night.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

盗dàorobber
贼zéithief

盗 “robber” and 贼 “thief” both point to wrongdoers, together robbers.

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 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 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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