The Meaning of dorobō [泥棒] In Japanese

泥棒
どろぼう
Romaji: dorobō N5

What does 泥棒 mean?

Translation and Meaning

thief, robber

Definition

What does 泥棒 mean? It denotes a person who steals property; 泥棒 is a common Japanese noun referring to someone who commits theft, from petty to more serious offenses, and is widely used in everyday speech, media, and fiction.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary meaning: thief, a person who steals property.
  • Metaphorical use: time thief (時間泥棒) or anything that steals time or resources.
  • Contextual nuance: neutral to slightly pejorative; often implies non-violent theft.

Etymology

Native compound with kun’yomi the two kanji combine to form a common noun; the reading どろぼう (dorobō) is the established pronunciation, reflecting traditional usage rather than a direct literal reading of mud and rod.

Composition

  • 泥 — mud, dirt; connotes filth or low status
  • 棒 — stick, rod; used in compounds to imply instrument or force
  • 泥棒 as a whole is a native noun read dorobō; the characters combine to form a term for a thief rather than a literal image

Usage

Used as a standard noun in formal and casual contexts; suitable for crime reporting, literature, media, and everyday conversation; often paired with verbs like 捕まる and 盗む.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: Muddy footprints lead to a stick-wielding thief—remember 泥棒 by linking 泥 to mud and 棒 to a rod.

Variations

  • 盗人 (nusutto) — thief; more literary or archaic
  • 強盗 (gōtō) — robber; implies armed or violent robbery
  • 窃盗犯 (settōhan) — theft offender; formal/legal term
  • 時間泥棒 (jikan dorobō) — time thief; metaphorical use

Example Phrases

  • 泥棒が近づいたので、私はすぐにドアを閉めた。
    Dorobō ga chikazuita node, watashi wa sugu ni doa o shimeta.
    A thief approached, so I immediately closed the door.
    Lista:
    • 泥棒 (Dorobō) – thief
    • が (ga) – subject marker
    • 近づいた (chikazuita) – approached
    • ので (node) – because
    • 私 (watashi) – I
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • すぐに (sugu ni) – immediately
    • ドア (doa) – door
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 閉めた (shimeta) – closed
    Core grammar: 「泥棒」 as subject with が; 近づいたので expresses cause; the sentence links cause to action with ので.
泥棒