盗む
ぬすむ
nusumu
= to steal; to rob; to snatch
Nusumu (盗む) means to steal — a core vocabulary verb for talking about theft, from a casual metaphorical ‘stealing a glance’ to a literal criminal act. It also appears in an important idiomatic usage that has nothing to do with crime.
Nusumu (盗む) means to steal or take something without permission. In its literal sense it covers theft of objects (saifu wo nusumu — to steal a wallet), shoplifting (mise kara mono wo nusumu), and broader taking. The negative form nusumu na (盗むな) or nusumanai (盗まない) expresses the prohibition. The passive nusuma reru (盗まれる) means ‘to be stolen from’ or ‘to have something stolen’: saifu wo nusuma reta (財布を盗まれた, ‘my wallet was stolen’). Beyond literal theft, nusumu has widely-used metaphorical senses: me wo nusumu (目を盗む, ‘to steal someone’s eyes away’ — to do something when no one is looking, i.e., behind someone’s back) and me ga nusuma reru (目が盗まれる, ‘to have one’s eyes stolen’ — to be drawn irresistibly to something). The expression waza wo nusumu (技を盗む, ‘to steal technique’) means to learn a skill by secretly observing a master — a key concept in apprenticeship-based crafts.
The expression waza wo nusumu (技を盗む, to steal technique) is important cultural vocabulary. In traditional Japanese craftsmanship and martial arts, apprentices were often not explicitly taught — they were expected to ‘steal the technique’ by watching intently, reflecting the philosophy that true skill must be internalized through observation rather than instruction. This positive use of nusumu is sharply distinct from the criminal sense and reflects a key value in apprenticeship culture. The two senses can confuse learners encountering the word for the first time outside a theft context.
盗む uses 盗 (tou/nusumu — to steal, theft). The character shows 次 (ji — next, secondary) over the dish/vessel radical 皿 (sara) — historically interpreted as someone reaching toward a vessel they don’t own. The 盗 character appears in compounds like 盗難 (tounan, theft/robbery) and 盗撮 (tousatsu, unauthorized photography/voyeurism), both important legal terms.
Everyday use
自転車を盗まれてしまった。警察に届けなきゃ。
Jitensha wo nusumarete shimatta. Keisatsu ni todokekenakya.
My bicycle was stolen. I have to report it to the police.
Casual / Social Media
スーパーで財布盗まれたって友達から連絡きた。マジで最悪。
Suupaa de saifu nusumareta tte tomodachi kara renraku kita. Maji de saiaku.
Just got a message that my friend had their wallet stolen at the supermarket. That’s the worst.
Formal / Cultural context
職人の世界では、師匠の技を盗むことが最大の学びとされてきた。
Shokunin no sekai de wa, shishou no waza wo nusumu koto ga saidai no manabi to sarete kita.
In the world of traditional craftsmanship, learning by stealing the master’s technique has long been considered the greatest form of learning.
Japan has one of the lowest property crime rates among developed nations, making literal theft (nusumu) a relatively rare experience for most residents. The cultural norm of leaving bags and personal belongings unattended in cafes and restaurants while visiting the counter or restroom — a behavior that would be unthinkable in many cities — reflects genuine low theft rates backed by survey data. When foreigners in Japan notice this behavior, nusumu and its near-rarity in daily life is part of the cultural context.
The phrase waza wo nusumu (技を盗む) encapsulates a philosophy of learning that runs deeply through Japanese craft traditions. In shokunin (職人, artisan) culture — from sushi chefs to lacquerware makers — apprentices historically spent years observing before being allowed to practice. The underlying belief is that explicit instruction creates surface understanding, while silent observation builds deeper body knowledge. The language of stealing — taking what belongs to the master — implies that the master has not given permission, and the apprentice’s job is to absorb without being handed anything.