強盗
gōtō[ɡo̞ːto̞ː]
The Japanese word for robber is 強盗 (gōtō). Wiktionary also lists 盗賊 (tōzoku).
Meaning: one who robs (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 強盗 | gōtō | [ɡo̞ːto̞ː] (narrow) |
| 盗賊 | tōzoku | [to̞ːzo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
強盗 refers specifically to a robber who uses force or threats, such as a bank robber.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 強盗 is composed of the characters for 'strong/force' (強) and 'rob/steal' (盗).
Which one should you use?
強盗 is the standard term for a modern robber involving force or threats. In contrast, 盗賊 is often used to describe bandits or brigands in a historical, folk or literary sense rather than modern street crime.
How do you pronounce it?
gōtō
Did you know?
- The character 賊 in 盗賊 also carries the meaning of 'traitor' or 'rebel'. This suggests that an ancient bandit was seen not just as a thief, but as an enemy of the state.
- If you were describing a 'pickpocket' in Japanese, you would likely use スリ (suri), a word derived from the Japanese verb 'to slip' or 'to slide', rather than the formal terms for robber.
- While 強盗 implies force, the phrase 盗作 uses the same 'steal' character to mean 'plagiarism' in a literary or artistic context.
Examples in context
- 強盗は縛られていた。The robber was tied up.This sentence is useful for showing the subject 強盗 in a past tense state.Tatoeba #10177413 by small_snow, translation #10177324 by AlanF_US
- 警備員が強盗に襲われた。The guardsman was assaulted by a robber.This sentence is useful for showing how a person can be a victim of a 強盗.Tatoeba #176061 by KK_kaku_, translation #238404 by Luornu
- 警察は強盗を捜しています。The police are looking for the robber.This sentence is useful for showing the object 強盗 being searched for by the police.Tatoeba #176200 by bunbuku, translation #238265 by CK
- 彼は銀行強盗の容疑で逮捕されました。He was arrested on suspicion of bank robbery.
- 強盗事件の容疑者を特定するために捜査が行われています。Investigation is underway to identify the suspect in the robbery case.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are talking about a news report in a cafe.
- 大翔 Hirotoニュースで強盗の事件を見たよ。Nyūsu de gōtō no jiken o mita yo.I saw a robbery case on the news.
- 結衣 Yui本当に怖い事件だね。Hontō ni kowai jiken da ne.That's a really scary incident.
- 大翔 Hiroto強盗が逃走中らしいよ。Gōtō ga tōsōchū rashii yo.It seems like the robber is still on the run.
- 結衣 Yui気をつけて行動しなきゃ。Ki o tsukete kōdō shinakya.We have to be careful how we act.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “robber” translations and entries 強盗, 盗賊, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
