秘 (mì) - Secret, mysterious & to keep secret

秘Tone 4

mì ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

秘 · mì

Secret, mysterious;

to keep secret;

rare, precious;

also used in words for secretary.

Secret, mysteriousto keep secretrare, precious

Usage highlights

Secret recipeSecretaryMysterySecret art/techniqueConfidential documentArcane knowledge

Synonyms

  • 密— secret, dense, close
  • 隐— hidden, concealed
  • 藏— to hide, to store

Antonyms

  • 显— apparent, obvious
  • 露— to reveal, to expose
  • 公— public, open

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is a secret recipe (秘方).
  • She works as a secretary (秘书).
  • The ancient manuscript contains mysterious knowledge (秘术).
  • Keep this confidential (保密).

Collocations

  • Secret recipe(秘方)
  • Secretary(秘书)
  • Mystery(秘密)
  • Secret art/technique(秘术)
  • Confidential document(秘件)
  • Arcane knowledge(秘学)

Idioms

  • Unveil the mystery(揭秘)
  • Keep it strictly confidential(秘而不宣)
  • Mysterious and unfathomable(神秘莫测)
  • Hidden dragon and crouching tiger(藏龙卧虎 - implies hidden talents)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '秘' often relates to esoteric knowledge, alchemy, and martial arts secrets passed down through lineages.
  • The character appears in Buddhist and Daoist contexts referring to mystical practices and hidden teachings.
  • Modern usage includes bureaucratic and corporate contexts (e.g., 秘书 for secretary).

FAQ