泥棒

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 泥棒 is a noun read どろぼう, meaning a thief who secretly takes another person's property.
• Basic usage: It can identify what a thief stole in a story or describe checking precautions against theft.
  • 物語の泥棒は宝石ではなく古い地図を盗んだ。 says that the thief in the story stole an old map rather than jewels; 窓の鍵を見て、泥棒への備えを確認した。 describes looking at the window lock and checking preparations against thieves.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 宝石ではなく地図
  • ではなく contrasts the old map that was stolen with the jewels that were not.
• 泥棒への備え
  • への links the preparations to the threat of a thief.
• 泥棒 and 強盗
  • 泥棒 broadly denotes a thief, while 強盗 denotes robbery or a robber who takes property through force or threats.