偷窥 tōukuī to peep
to peep; to peek; to act as voyeur
How to remember 偷窥: 偷 to steal + 窥 to peep = to peep.
Characters
How it is used
- To peep/spy on someone secretly, voyeurism - 偷窥他人隐私 (tōukuī tārén yǐnsī) to spy on others' privacy.
- Strongly negative - furtive, invasive watching; the 窥 (kuī, peer) adds the sense of prying through a gap.
- Contrast 偷看 (tōukàn, sneak a look, milder/everyday) - 偷窥 carries the creepy, illicit voyeur connotation.