[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Character-Traits # 盗 dào to steal; thief ## Components [[次 cì]] [[皿 (mǐn)]] ## Meaning Nowadays, the character "盗" (dào) primarily means "to steal" or "to commit theft." It is used in various contexts related to theft and burglary, such as "盗贼" (dàozéi), meaning "thief" or "burglar." The character retains its connotation of illicitly taking something that belongs to someone else. ## History The character "盗" (dào) is a compound ideogram. The upper part resembles the character "诞," which depicts a person drooling, while the lower part "皿" represents a container holding food. Together, these elements convey the idea of stealing food out of greed or desire. The original meaning of "盗" is "to steal" or "to commit theft." ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ? ### Seal Script ![[盗 sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[盗 cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[盗 reg.svg]]