Robert Thom (simplified Chinese: 罗伯聃; traditional Chinese: 羅伯聃; pinyin: Luóbódān; 1807 – 14 September 1846) was an English nineteenth century Chinese language translator and diplomat based in Canton (modern day Guangzhou) who worked for the trading house Jardine, Matheson & Co. and was seconded to the British armed forces during the First Opium War (1839 – 1842). For his literary works Thom used Sloth as a nom de plume.