Refers to the act of stealing something quickly and casually, often in a petty or opportunistic manner.
pilferer; petty thief; bag snatcher
Refers to a person who commits petty theft, especially bag snatching or shoplifting.
The bag snatcher fled on a motorcycle.
There have been many snatchings in front of the station.
He was arrested for snatching, not pickpocketing.
That man is a habitual petty thief.
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are less common.
Kanji form without explicit small-tsu; less common.
Kanji form; the small-tsu is written explicitly.
Derived from the verb かっぱらう (to snatch away), which is a compound of 掻き (kaki-, a prefix adding emphasis or roughness) and 払う (harau, to brush away). The exact historical development is uncertain.