Definitions

(adjective) secret; confidential
(noun) secretary
(noun) Peru

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Originally written as . The component was later corrupted to .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "秘", conveying the sense of secrecy or mystery, originated from its traditional form "祕", which combined the "示" component related to spiritual domains with "必" acting as a phonetic element, initially referring to concealed religious knowledge or private rituals. Over time, its application broadened beyond the sacred to describe any hidden or confidential matter, reflecting a semantic shift from the specifically arcane to the generally unknown. The simplified form "秘" later replaced the "示" with "禾", a structural modification that changed the character's visual composition while its core meaning remained consistent, allowing it to continue denoting secrecy in contemporary usage.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Wu (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我知道那个密。

Wǒ zhīdào nàgè mìmì.

I know that secret.

她是一位书。

Tā shì yī wèi mìshū.

She is a secretary.

这个地方很神

Zhège dìfāng hěn shénmì.

This place is very mysterious.

他保守着这个密。

Tā bǎoshǒu zhe zhège mìmì.

He keeps this secret.

方是这道菜的关键。

Mìfāng shì zhè dào cài de guānjiàn.

The secret recipe is the key to this dish.

探险队发现了神洞穴。

Tànxiǎn duì fāxiàn le shénmì dòngxué.

The exploration team discovered a mysterious cave.

公司的新项目处于保密状态。

Gōngsī de xīn xiàngmù chǔyú bǎomì zhuàngtài.

The company's new project is in a state of confidentiality.

这部小说充满了悬疑和密。

Zhè bù xiǎoshuō chōngmǎn le xuányí hé mìmì.

This novel is full of suspense and secrets.