泥棒

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• (Tokyo) どろぼー (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

泥(どろ)棒(ぼう) • (dorobō) ^{←どろばう (dorobau)?}

1. thief

   Synonyms: 盗っ人 (nusutto), 盗人 (nusubito), 盗賊 (tōzoku)

2. theft

• This is an example of a word that can be spelled with katakana to convey an informal conversational tone, as ドロボー.

• 窃(せっ)盗(とう) (settō)
• 強(ごう)盗(とう) (gōtō)

泥(どろ)棒(ぼう)する • (dorobō suru) ^{←どろばう (dorobau)?}transitive or intransitive suru (stem 泥(どろ)棒(ぼう)し (dorobō shi), past 泥(どろ)棒(ぼう)した (dorobō shita))

1. to thieve, to steal
   • 1950, 坂口安吾, 街はふるさと‎, 青空文庫:

     ろくに稼(かせ)ぎもないくせに、ムダ食(ぐ)いやムダ使(づか)いがやめられない五人(ごにん)の宿(やど)なしパンパンが、今(いま)まで泥(どろ)棒(ぼう)しなかったのが珍(めずら)しい。

     Roku ni kasegi mo nai kuse ni, mudagui ya mudazukai ga yamerarenai gonin no yadonashi panpan ga, ima made dorobō shinakatta no ga mezurashii.

     It was extraordinary that these five had not thieved until now, seeing as they were homeless prostitutes who could not stop their wasteful eating habits or wasteful spending despite not making much.