fei2 tou4匪徒

Jyutpingfei2 tou4

Yaleféi tòuh

名詞

Definition

Bandit or robber; a criminal who commits robbery.

neutralpeople

How it's used

This term is primarily used in formal contexts like news reports or police statements to describe criminals who use violence or weapons. In casual daily conversation, people are much more likely to use 賊 or 賊人 when referring to someone who steals or commits a robbery. Using this word in a very informal setting can sound overly dramatic or like you are narrating a crime movie.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

go2嗰gei2幾go3個fei2匪tou4徒coeng2搶jyun4完je5嘢zau6就zau2走zo2咗laa3喇。

Those bandits ran away right after robbing the place.

ging2警caat3察zuk1捉dou3到go2嗰go3個fei2匪tou4徒mei6未aa4呀？

Have the police caught that bandit yet?

Common phrases

ci4持tou4徒

armed bandit

kung4窮hung1凶gik6極wu3惡ge3嘅fei2匪tou4徒

vicious and extremely evil bandit

Common mistake

Learners often use this word to describe any kind of thief, but it specifically implies a violent or organized criminal. If someone just steals your wallet on the street, calling them a 匪徒 sounds like an exaggeration; 扒手 or 賊 is more appropriate for petty theft.