かっぱらう

か

っ

ぱ

ら

う

Meanings

1

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

swipe; filch; snatch; walk off with

usually written using kana alone

Colloquial and somewhat rough; implies a quick, sneaky theft, often of something unattended. Used for petty stealing.

誰だれかが店みせ先さきから商しょう品ひんをかっ払ぱらったらしい。
It seems someone swiped goods from the storefront.

置おき引びきに財さい布ふをかっ払ぱらわれた。

I had my wallet snatched by a sneak thief.

Written forms

かっ払ぱらうUsage3%
search-only kanji form
Common kana-kanji mixed spelling; usually written in kana.
かっぱらうUsage89%
Kana-only spelling; the word is usually written using kana alone.
搔かっ払ぱらうUsage8%
search-only kanji form
掻かっ払ぱらう
Full kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
掻かっ払ぱらう
Variant without the small っ; rare.

Kanji

掻scratch, rake, comb
払pay, clear out, prune
搔to scratch

Similar words

盗ぬすむ
General verb for 'to steal'; neutral register. かっ払う is more colloquial and emphasizes a quick, sneaky act.
くすねる
Also means 'to pilfer' or 'to swipe', but often implies a smaller, sneakier theft, sometimes by someone you know. かっ払う can be more brazen.

Etymology

Compound of 掻き (kaki, emphasizing a quick action) + 払う (harau, 'to sweep away'), with the expected sound change of kaki to kaQ before a voiceless consonant. The literal image is 'to sweep something away quickly', which developed into the colloquial meaning of swiping or snatching.