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偷雞摸狗

简偷鸡摸狗 · 繁偷雞摸狗

Mandarin · pinyin tōu jī mō gǒu

to imitate the dog and steal chicken (idiom)
to pilfer
to dally with women
to have affairs

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Characters in this entry

偷: tōu · to steal, burglar, thief
雞: jī · chickens; domestic fowl
摸: mō · gently touch with hand; caress
狗: gǒu · dog, Canis familiaris
鸡: jī · chicken

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–1–1–3 · tou1 ji1 mo1 gou3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

偷雞摸狗 · find source passages ↗ · 偷鸡摸狗 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

tau1 gai1 mo2 gau2

Cantonese word readings for 偷雞摸狗. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to engage in petty thievery
(idiomatic) to not do things in an open and above board manner

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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