Chinese word

间谍

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiàn dié

Meaning

  • nounspy

Example

我怀疑他是间谍。wǒ huái yí tā shì jiàn dié

I suspect he is a spy.

Illustration for 间谍 (spy)

More examples

警方发现了一个间谍网络。jǐng fāng fā xiàn le yí gè jiàn dié wǎng luò

The police discovered a spy network.

Core concept

A hidden operative inside an organization or country who gathers secrets for another side.

Common phrases

  • 间谍活动jiàn dié huó dòng

    spy activity

  • 外国间谍wài guó jiàn dié

    foreign spy

Similar words

卧底wò dǐ: A person who joins another group under a false identity to collect information from inside.
密探mì tàn: A person who gathers information in secret as part of a covert mission.
线人xiàn rén: An insider who secretly gives an outside group information about an organization.
特务tè wù: A person who carries out important secret work for a government or organization.

Definition in Chinese

秘密潜入或隐藏在某组织或国家内部，暗中收集情报并将信息传递给委托方或所属一方的人。mì mì qián rù huò yǐn cáng zài mǒu zǔ zhī huò guó jiā nèi bù àn zhōng shōu jí qíng bào bìng jiāng xìn xī chuán dì gěi wěi tuō fāng huò suó shǔ yì fāng de rén

Word origin

间 (jiàn, "to sow discord") + 谍 (dié, "a spy") form an old compound for a person sent among opposing sides to obtain secret information.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, calling someone this is a serious accusation, so an unconfirmed suspicion is usually expressed with cautious wording rather than as a fact.

Other meanings

  • intelligence agentnoun
  • undercover agentnoun

Related words

  • 间谍软件jiàn dié ruǎn jiànspywarenoun
  • 间谍卫星jiàn dié wèi xīngspy satellitenoun

Word lists with this word