窃国者侯，窃钩者诛
qiè​guó​zhě​hóu​qiè​gōu​zhě​zhū

to steal the whole country and be made a prince, to steal a hook and be executed

  1. 窃国 竊國 qiè​guó
    to usurp state power
    To seize or steal control of a nation or its government through illegal or dishonest means
  2. 者 zhě affixnoun
    -er
    (bound form) used after a verb, adjective, or noun to represent the person or thing performing an action or possessing a quality; translates as "-er", "-ist", or "one who"
  3. 侯 hóu
    marquis
    (bound form) marquis, the second of the five ancient orders of nobility; a nobleman or high official
  4. ， qiè
    non-Chinese
  5. 窃 竊 qiè verbnoun
    to steal
    to steal; to pilfer
  6. 钩 鉤 gōu noun
    hook
    (noun) a curved object used for catching, hanging, or connecting things, such as a fishhook, clothes hook, or window catch
  7. 者 zhě affixnoun
    -er
    (bound form) used after a verb, adjective, or noun to represent the person or thing performing an action or possessing a quality; translates as "-er", "-ist", or "one who"
  8. 诛 誅 zhū
    to execute
    (bound form) to put a criminal to death; to kill