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🇨🇳Chinese Source WordCode: ZH

偷听

Pronunciation / Transliteration: tōu tīng

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Eavesdrop/ˈiːvz.drɒp/
verbCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇨🇳 Example Sentence in Chinese:

"偷听别人说话是不礼貌的。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

1 sense
As verb
  1. 1

    To secretly listen to a private conversation without the speakers' knowledge or consent.

    "She stood by the door, hoping to eavesdrop on their private discussion."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Middle English 'evesdrope', referring to the ground where water drips from the eaves (overhang) of a house. Historically, standing within the eavesdrop meant standing close enough to a wall to secretly listen to conversations inside.

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