chivalrous thief; noble bandit
Refers to an outlaw who steals from the rich to help the poor, often romanticized in folklore and fiction. Not a legal term; carries a positive, heroic connotation.
He was admired by the people as a chivalrous thief.
In that story, a noble bandit steals money from a corrupt official.
Compound of 義 (righteousness, justice) and 賊 (thief, bandit). The term likely emerged from Chinese literature and was adopted into Japanese to describe Robin Hood-like figures.