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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'thief' with 小偷 (xiǎotōu)

    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    小偷 + Verb + Object

    Explanation

    The noun 小偷 (xiǎotōu) means 'thief' or 'petty thief.' It refers to a person who steals, typically through sneaky or non-violent means. It is one of the most common everyday words for referring to someone who commits theft.

    Examples

    • 昨天晚上有个小偷溜进了我们小区。

      Zuótiān wǎnshàng yǒu gè xiǎotōu liū jìn le wǒmen xiǎoqū.

      Last night a thief snuck into our neighborhood.

    • 她在地铁上被小偷偷走了手机。

      Tā zài dìtiě shàng bèi xiǎotōu tōu zǒu le shǒujī.

      Her phone was stolen by a pickpocket on the subway.

    • 那个小偷被路人当场抓住了。

      Nàge xiǎotōu bèi lùrén dāngchǎng zhuā zhù le.

      That thief was caught on the spot by a passerby.

    Expressing 'thief' with 小偷 (xiǎotōu) | Chinese Grammar