泥棒
dorobō[do̞ɾo̞bo̞ː]
The English word 'thief' is translated into Japanese as 泥棒 (dorobō). Wiktionary also lists 盗賊 (tōzoku) and 窃盗者 (settō-sha).
Meaning: one who carries out theft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 泥棒 | dorobō | [do̞ɾo̞bo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 盗賊 | tōzoku | [to̞ːzo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 窃盗者 | settō-sha |
The word 泥棒 refers to someone who carries out theft and can also be used to describe the act of stealing itself in certain contexts. While it is the most common way to refer to a thief, other terms exist depending on the specific nature of the crime or the level of formality required.
Which one should you use?
泥棒 is the everyday, colloquial word for a thief. 盗賊 is a more literary term that specifically refers to a bandit or brigand, often used in historical contexts. 窃盗者 is a highly formal, legalistic term used to describe a perpetrator of theft in news reports or police documents.
How do you pronounce it?
dorobō
Did you know?
- There is a specific term 万引き for shoplifting, which literally means 'picking up ten thousand'. It describes the act of stealing small items from a store rather than a home.
- In Japanese culture, the phrase 泥棒猫 meaning 'stealing cat' is used as a derogatory term for a woman who 'steals' another person's husband or boyfriend.
- In many Japanese crime dramas, a thief who specializes in breaking into houses is called a 空き巣, which literally means 'empty nest'.
Examples in context
- 泥棒が逃げた。The thief ran away.This sentence shows how to describe a thief running away using 泥棒.Tatoeba #125376 by small_snow, translation #36818 by CK
- 泥棒を捕まえた。We caught the thief.This sentence demonstrates how to say someone caught a thief using 泥棒.Tatoeba #125340 by bunbuku, translation #278653 by CK
- 泥棒じゃないよ。I'm not a thief.This sentence shows how to deny being a thief using 泥棒.Tatoeba #11016894 by small_snow, translation #1836094 by Spamster
- 盗賊が現場から逃走しました。The thief fled the scene.
- 昨日、盗み物に遭ったんだ。I got robbed yesterday.
- 53 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about a news report near their home.
- 健太 Kenta最近、この近くで泥棒が多いね。saikin, kono chikaku de dorobō ga ooi ne.There have been many thieves around here lately.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に。怖いよね。hontō ni. kowai yo ne.Really. It's scary, isn't it?
- 健太 Kenta鍵をしっかり閉めておこう。kagi o shikkari shimete okō.Let's make sure to lock the doors tightly.
- 陽葵 Himariそうだね。気をつけよう。sō da ne. ki o tsukeyō.You're right. Let's be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thief” translations and entries 泥棒, 盗賊, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
