抄袭 (chāo xí) means 'to plagiarize' — to copy someone else's work, ideas, or words without permission or proper attribution and present them as one's own. The character 抄 (chāo) originally means 'to copy by hand' or 'to transcribe', while 袭 (xí) conveys the sense of 'to attack suddenly' or 'to appropriate forcefully'; together, they evoke the unethical act of seizing and passing off another’s intellectual property. This word carries strong negative connotations and is commonly used in academic, publishing, and creative contexts.

It functions primarily as a verb, often appearing in phrases like 抄袭别人的文章 (plagiarize someone else’s article), 被指控抄袭 (be accused of plagiarism), or 防止抄袭 (prevent plagiarism). Unlike general copying for study, 抄袭 implies intentional deception and violation of ethical or legal standards. It is rarely used neutrally and almost always appears with judgmental or disciplinary overtones.