盗窃
dào qiè · HSK 7
to steal
🕵️💰 dào qiè — sounds like dow-chyeh, a thief who steals the Dow (Jones) check
盗 (dào) means thief or robbery, 窃 (qiè) means to pilfer or secretly. Together they form the legal term for theft. The dow-check sound link ties stealing to swiping a financial check.
盗 — 次 (drool/desire) + 皿 (dish/vessel)
Originally depicted someone drooling (次, showing saliva 氵 next to a person yawning 欠) over a vessel of food (皿), capturing the idea of coveting what belongs to others. The meaning extended from coveting to stealing, and today 盗 means 'to steal' or 'thief/robber'.