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泄密 (xiè mì) — to leak secrets

Definition

泄密 (xièmì) means 'to leak secrets' — a fixed verb-object compound, narrower than the more general 透露 ('reveal/disclose'). Use it for the wrongful or unauthorized release of confidential information, not casual sharing.

verb
to leak secrets

Examples

  • 泄密。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài diào chá zhè cì xiè mì shì jiàn.
    The government is investigating this leak incident.
  • 泄密。
    Tā yīn wèi xiè mì bèi jǐng chá zhuā zǒu le.
    He was taken away by the police for leaking secrets.
  • 泄密。
    Bú yào zài diàn nǎo shàng xiè mì zhòng yào wén jiàn.
    Don't leak important documents on the computer.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

泄xièleak
密mìsecret

泄 means leak and 密 means secret, so 泄密 is to leak secrets.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 洩; 泄 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
曳
曳yè洩xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 洩, 氵 marks the water-related meaning, while 曳 gives the sound; the simplified 泄 is a later abbreviation.

Open 泄 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宓
宓mì密mì
Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Open 密 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Crime & Police

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.