窃 meaning and stroke order
To steal; thief; secret, stealthy
How to write 窃, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 窃
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to steal
- secretly
- (humble) I
How 窃 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hole.
穴 gives the meaning and 切 hints at the sound.
Radical: 穴 (cave), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 窃
A thief cuts (切 qiē) a hole (穴 xué) in the wall to sneak in. The hole on top gives the meaning, and 切 below gives a similar sound, so 窃 (qiè) means to steal or to do something secretly.
窃 is formal and mostly appears in compound words like 盗窃 (dàoqiè), 偷窃 (tōuqiè), and 窃听 (qiètīng) rather than alone. In everyday speech people say 偷 (tōu) for "steal". Example: 他的钱包失窃了。(Tā de qiánbāo shīqiè le.) His wallet was stolen.
Common mistake: Learners often read 窃 as qiē because of its phonetic part 切, but 窃 is always fourth tone, qiè. Also do not confuse the top 穴 with 宀 (roof); 穴 has two extra strokes underneath like an opening.
Common words with 窃
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 盗窃 | dàoqiè | to steal | HSK 7-9 |
| 窃取 | qièqǔ | to steal (usu. private information, intellectual property etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 偷窃 | tōuqiè | to steal; to pilfer | |
| 窃听 | qiètīng | to eavesdrop; to wiretap | |
| 窃听器 | qiètīngqì | tapping device; bug | |
| 窃贼 | qièzéi | thief | |
| 失窃 | shīqiè | to lose by theft; to have one's property stolen | |
| 行窃 | xíngqiè | to steal; to commit a robbery | |
| 窃窃私语 | qièqièsīyǔ | (idiom) to whisper; to speak in whispers | |
| 剽窃 | piāoqiè | to plunder; to plagiarize |
窃 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 窃
How many strokes are in 窃?
窃 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 窃 mean?
窃 (qiè) means to steal; thief; secret, stealthy. A common word with it is 盗窃 (dàoqiè), meaning "to steal".
How do you pronounce 窃?
窃 is pronounced qiè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 窃?
The radical of 窃 is 穴, which carries the idea of "cave". Dictionaries list 窃 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 窃?
The traditional form of 窃 is 竊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 窃 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 窃 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 窃 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 窃 and 偷?
Both mean to steal. 偷 (tōu) is the everyday spoken word, while 窃 sounds formal, legal, or literary, as in news reports and laws such as 盗窃罪 (dàoqiè zuì), the crime of theft.
How is 窃 used to mean "I"?
In classical and very formal writing, 窃 is a humble way to present one's own view, as in 窃以为 (qiè yǐwéi), "I humbly think". You will see it in old texts or deliberately elegant writing, not in normal conversation.