thief

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is ぞく, and no kun reading is listed. It has 13 strokes and relates to thieves or bands that take from others.
• Basic usage: 海賊 is read かいぞく, and 山賊 is read さんぞく.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 海賊 / 山賊
  • 海賊 means pirate. It is a noun read かいぞく. It refers to a robber operating at sea, a pirate.
  • 子どもたちは海賊の衣装を着て劇を演じました。 means “The children performed a play in pirate costumes.”
  • 山賊 means bandit or mountain robber. It is a noun read さんぞく. It refers to a robber based in the mountains, a mountain bandit.
  • 物語の山賊は旅人から食料を奪った。 means “The bandit in the story stole food from travelers.”