Japanese symbol for “steal”
盗む
ぬすむ
Romaji: nusumu
to steal
In Japanese, steal is 盗む, read ぬすむ (nusumu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- v5m, vt to steal
- v5m, vt to plagiarize; to steal (a technique, idea, etc.); to watch and learn
- v5m, vt to do stealthily
- v5m, vt to do during scant time
- v5m, vt to steal a base (baseb)
Written forms: 盗む、偸む. Readings: ぬすむ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “steal”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 奪う | うばう ubau | to take (by force); to take away; to snatch |
| 盗塁 | とうるい tourui | base stealing; steal; stolen base |
| 取る | とる toru | to take away; to steal; to rob |
| スチール | スチール suchiiru | steal (baseball, basketball) |
| 盗み出す | ぬすみだす nusumidasu | to steal (from a person) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 強盗 | ごうとう goutou | robber; mugger |
| 盗難 | とうなん tounan | theft; robbery |
| 窃盗 | せっとう settou | theft; stealing; larceny |
| 盗聴 | とうちょう touchou | interception (email); wiretap; bug |
| 盗塁 | とうるい tourui | base stealing; steal; stolen base |
See also: Chinese symbol for “steal”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.