盗む
ぬすむ · nusumu · JLPT N4 · verb-godan
to steal
💰 nusumu: a NEW SUM Ooh — the thief's take after stealing
Sound-alike: nu-su-mu ≈ new sum, ooh. A thief who steals ends up with a new sum of money. The kanji 盗 is also read tō in compounds like 盗難 (tōnan, theft) and 強盗 (gōtō, robbery), so 盗 = the theft character.
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'.