偷鸡不着蚀把米

Traditional form:

偷雞不著蝕把米

Pinyin (reading):

tōujībùzháoshíbǎmǐ

Definitions:

• see 偷雞不成蝕把米／偷鸡不成蚀把米 (tōujībùchéngshíbǎmǐ)

Characters:

• 偷 - to steal; burglar, thief
• 鸡 - chicken
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 着 - to make a move, to take action
• 蚀 - to nibble at, to erode; an eclipse
• 把 - to grasp, to hold; to guard, to take; handle
• 米 - rice, millet, grain

Traditional characters:

• 偷 - to steal; burglar, thief
• 雞 - chicken
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 著 - to show, to prove, to make known
• 蝕 - to nibble at, to erode; an eclipse
• 把 - to grasp, to hold; to guard, to take; handle
• 米 - rice, millet, grain