窃国者侯，窃钩者诛 qiè guó zhě hóu ， qiè gōu zhě zhū

DEFINITIONS

  1. steal the whole country and they make you a prince, steal a hook and they hang you (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子)

CHARACTERS

窃 qiè
HSK 6
secretly, stealthily; steal; thief
国 guó
HSK 1
nation, country, nation-state
者 zhě
HSK 3
that which; he who; those who
侯 hóu marquis, lord; target in archery
窃 qiè
HSK 6
secretly, stealthily; steal; thief
钩 gōu
HSK 6
hook, barb; sickle; stroke with
者 zhě
HSK 3
that which; he who; those who
诛 zhū execute, kill, put to death; punish