piu5剽
Jyutpingpiu5
Yalepíuh
Definition
To rob; nimble; to plagiarize; to slice off
writtenother
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in formal or literary contexts, particularly in the compound 剽竊 for plagiarism. You will rarely hear it in casual spoken Cantonese, as people prefer using 偷 or 抄 for stealing or copying. It carries a strong negative connotation of intellectual theft rather than physical robbery.
Examples
keoi5 se2 go2 pin1 man4 hai6 piu5 sit3 faan1 lai4 gaa4
佢寫嗰篇文係剽竊返嚟㗎。
The article he wrote was plagiarized.
le1 zung3 hang4 wai4 gaan2 zik6 hai6 piu5 sit3 cong3 ji3
呢種行為簡直係剽竊創意。
This kind of behavior is simply stealing ideas.
Related words
Common phrases
piu5 sit3
剽竊
to plagiarize
piu5 hon6
剽悍
fierce and nimble
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for 飄, which means to float or drift, because they look similar. Ensure you distinguish the radical 彳 from the radical 示 to avoid confusion in writing.
Tone guide
T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
