dào

rob

Depicts a gluttonous person drooling () for food inside of a dish (). The meaning later shifted to "steal", "rob", and "bandit".

Components
㳄 iconic component

  Iconic component

xián

  

spit, saliva

Depicts saliva () coming from a person with an open mouth ().

皿 iconic component

  Iconic component

mǐn

  

dish

Depicts a dish with food in it.

Evolution

盜 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
盜 Bronze script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Bronze script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
盜 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
盜 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
盜 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

dào

rob, steal; thief, bandit; to steal; to rob; to plunder; thief; bandit; robber

Most common words with 盜
Freq.
Word
Meaning

海盗

pirate

to steal

盗窃

to steal

强盗

bandit

盗版

pirated