泥棒・泥坊|どろぼうdorobou[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
泥棒泥棒 is written entirely in kanji and is the most common form; use it for ordinary writing and learning.
泥坊泥坊 is also written entirely in kanji, but it is rarely used, so learners will seldom encounter it.
Definitions
- nounthief; burglar; robber
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbtheft; burglary; robbery
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 泥棒する（どろぼうする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 泥棒します（どろぼうします） |
| Negative (nai) | 泥棒しない（どろぼうしない） |
| polite (masen) | 泥棒しません（どろぼうしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 泥棒せず・泥棒せぬ（どろぼうせず・どろぼうせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 泥棒した（どろぼうした） |
| polite (mashita) | 泥棒しました（どろぼうしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 泥棒しなかった（どろぼうしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 泥棒しませんでした（どろぼうしませんでした） |
| Te form | 泥棒して（どろぼうして） |
| Potential | 泥棒できる（どろぼうできる） |
| Passive | 泥棒される（どろぼうされる） |
| Causative | 泥棒させる（どろぼうさせる） |
| Causative passive | 泥棒させられる（どろぼうさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 泥棒すれば（どろぼうすれば） |
| tara | 泥棒したら（どろぼうしたら） |
| Volitional | 泥棒しよう（どろぼうしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 泥棒しましょう（どろぼうしましょう） |
| Imperative | 泥棒しろ（どろぼうしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym盗人ぬすびとCasualColloquial term for a thief, as in 「盗人猛々しい」; carries an old-fashioned tone and is more archaic than 「泥棒」.
- Synonym盗賊とうぞくWrittenWritten term for bandits and robbers, as in 「盗賊団」; has an archaic or storybook flavor.
- Synonym賊ぞくWrittenWritten term for bandits or rebels, as in 「賊軍」; carries an archaic flavor.
- Synonym物取りものとりCasualColloquial word for someone who steals or snatches others' property, or the act itself, as in 「物取りの犯行」; often seen in police reports.
- Related窃盗せっとうWrittenWritten term for theft as an act or criminal charge, as in 「窃盗罪」; common in legal and news reporting.
- Related横領おうりょうWrittenWritten term for embezzling or misappropriating property entrusted to you, as in 「公金横領」; not breaking in to steal.
- Related盗みぬすみNeutralNeutral noun for the act of stealing, as in 「盗みを働く」; refers to the deed rather than the person.
- Related着服ちゃくふくWrittenWritten term for pocketing or embezzling money, as in 「金を着服する」; can also mean putting on clothes.
- Related横取りよこどりCasualColloquial term for snatching something from the side, as in 「手柄を横取りする」; not limited to property.
- Related盗むぬすむNeutralVerb meaning to steal, as in 「財布を盗む」; 「泥棒」 is the noun for a thief and can also name the act.
- Related偸盗ちゅうとうWrittenWritten term covering theft or thieves in general; also a Buddhist precept term. Very rare in modern usage.
- Related窃取せっしゅWrittenWritten term for stealing, as in 「情報を窃取する」; focuses on the act itself.
- Related横奪おうだつWrittenWritten term for forcibly seizing what belongs to others; fairly rare, with 「横取り」 preferred in everyday speech.
- Related窃盗犯せっとうはんWrittenWritten term for a theft offender, as in 「窃盗犯を逮捕」; typical of news reports.
- Related掠め取るかすめとるNeutralVerb for stealing on the sly, and also for snatching or swindling, as in 「金をかすめ取る」.
- Related盗犯とうはんWrittenWritten term for theft or robbery as a crime, or for the offender; mostly used in legal contexts.
- RelatedパクるCasualSlang for stealing something or plagiarizing, as in 「アイデアをパクる」.
- Related盗み取るぬすみとるNeutralMeans stealing and getting the item into one's hands; compared with 「盗む」 it stresses taking the thing away, focusing on the act.
- Related盗み出すぬすみだすNeutralMeans stealing something out and carrying it off, as in 「金庫から盗み出す」.
「泥棒」 is the default word for a thief. 「盗人」 is old-fashioned, 「盗賊」 and 「賊」 are written words for bandits, and 「物取り」 is colloquial, seen in police reports. For the act or charge of theft use 「窃盗」 (legal/news), the noun 「盗み」 or the verb 「盗む」; 「盗み取る」 and 「盗み出す」 stress making off with the item, and 「パクる」 is slang for stealing or plagiarizing. Embezzling entrusted money is 「横領」 or 「着服」; snatching from the side is 「横取り」; 「窃盗犯」 names the offender in news and legal writing.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
