Definition
偷空 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to snatch a moment' or 'to take a brief break from work to do something else'. The verb 偷 ('steal') and the noun 空 ('free time') combine to create the idea of stealing a moment of free time from a busy schedule. When you need to insert a measure word, duration, or other element, you split the word: 偷个空 (steal a moment), 偷了空 (stole a moment).
v.o.
to snatch a moment (to do something else)to take a brief break from work
Examples
- ，偷空。Wǒ měitiān dōu hěn máng, zhǐ néng wǎnshàng tōu kōng kànkan shū.I'm busy every day; I can only snatch a moment at night to read.
- ，。Tā gōngzuò tài máng le, lián tōu gè kōng xiūxi de shíjiān dōu méiyǒu.He's too busy at work; he doesn't even have a moment to rest.
- 偷空。Tā chèn háizi shuìjiào de shíhou tōu kōng zuò jiāwù.She snatched a moment to do housework while the child was sleeping.
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