Japanese word

潜入

Pronunciation

Romajisennyū

Meaning

  • nouninfiltration

Example

警察が建物に潜入しました。kei satsu ga tate mono ni sen nyū shi ma shi ta

The police infiltrated the building.

Illustration for 潜入 (infiltration)

More examples

記者は身分を隠して企業に潜入しました。ki sha wa mi bun o kaku shi te ki gyō ni sen nyū shi ma shi ta

The reporter infiltrated a company while concealing their identity.

Core concept

Describes a concealed move from outside into a guarded place or organization.

Common phrases

  • 建物に潜入tate mono ni sen nyū

    infiltration into a building

  • 組織への潜入so shiki e no sen nyū

    infiltration into an organization

  • 敵陣に潜入teki jin ni sen nyū

    infiltration into enemy lines

Similar words

侵入shinnyū: An entry into a place without permission or welcome.

Definition in Japanese

身分や目的を隠して、警戒されている場所などに入り込むこと。mi bun ya moku teki o kaku shi te kei kai sa re te i ru ba sho na do ni hai ri ko mu ko to

Word origin

潜 (sen, "submerge") and 入 (nyū, "enter") combine in the Sino-Japanese compound 潜入 (sennyū), expressing entry carried out in secret.

Usage tips

  • English news reports commonly use infiltration for crossing defenses unnoticed, which gives the word a stronger covert sense than simply entering.

Other meanings

  • going undercovernoun
  • sneaking innoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 潜入者sennyūshainfiltratornoun
  • 潜入するsennyūsuruinfiltrateverb

Word lists with this word