つまみ食ぐい

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

eating with one's fingers; snitching food; secret eating

Refers to picking at food with fingers before a meal, or sneaking bites; often implies doing so without permission or in secret. Can be used as a noun or a suru-verb.

• 料りょう理りができる前まえにつまみ食ぐいしてはいけません。

  Don't pick at the food before it's ready.

• 彼かれは冷れい蔵ぞう庫こからチーズをつまみ食ぐいした。

  He snitched some cheese from the fridge.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

embezzlement; misappropriation; skimming off the top

Figurative extension: secretly taking a portion of money or profits, like skimming off the top. Often used in business or organizational contexts.

• 経けい理り担たん当とう者しゃが売うり上あげ金きんをつまみ食ぐいしていたことが発はっ覚かくした。

  It was discovered that the accountant had been skimming from the sales revenue.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

flirting; playing the field; sampling

Slangy figurative use: casually dating or flirting with multiple people, as if 'sampling' them. Often used in a light or critical tone.

• 彼かれはいつも複ふく数すうの女じょ性せいとつまみ食ぐいしている。

  He's always playing the field with multiple women.