Japanese word

盗み

Pronunciation

Romajinusumi

Meaning

  • nountheft

Example

彼は盗みを認めました。kare wa nusu mi o mito me ma shi ta

He admitted to stealing.

Illustration for 盗み (theft)

More examples

警察はその店での盗みを調べています。kei satsu wa so no mise de no nusu mi o shira be te i ma su

The police are investigating a theft at the store.

Core concept

Describes secretly taking something owned by another person without that person's permission.

Common phrases

  • 盗みをするnusu mi o su ru

    commit theft

  • 盗みを認めるnusu mi o mito me ru

    admit to theft

Similar words

窃盗settō: The formal term for taking another person's property without permission.
盗難tōnan: An incident in which property is taken without permission and reported as missing.

Definition in Japanese

他人の所有物を許可なくひそかに取る行為。ta nin no sho yū butsu o kyo ka na ku hi so ka ni to ru kō i

Word origin

盗み (nusumi, "theft") comes from 盗む (nusumu, "to steal") through the verb's continuative form, which functions as a noun.

Usage tips

  • In crime reports, 盗み (nusumi) can describe the act without stating what was taken, so the surrounding context often identifies the stolen property.

Word lists with this word