小偷

xiǎo tōu

HSK 2.0 Level 5 HSK 3.0 Level 6 Noun Common

Definitions

1 item

to rob (with force)

强盗 is a robber or bandit, often implying violence, while 小偷 is a petty thief.

1 item

thief

Both mean thief, 贼 is more colloquial and sometimes more general.

Do not confuse 小偷 (thief) with 小头 (small head) due to similar pronunciation.

小偷 is the neutral word for thief. 贼 is more colloquial, often used in northern China.

5 shown

小偷企图逃跑，但被警察抓住了。

The thief attempted to escape, but was caught by the police.

小偷看见警察就逃了。

The thief ran away as soon as he saw the police.

小偷窜进了巷子。

The thief darted into the alley.

小偷试图抢夺她的包。

The thief attempted to snatch her bag.

警察捕到了小偷。

The police caught the thief.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

to steal

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