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泄漏 (xiè lòu) — to leak (liquid or gas); to divulge, to leak (information)

Definition

Covers both physical leaks (liquid/gas) and information leaks. For information, 透露 is disclosing openly, while 泄漏 and 泄露 imply unauthorized release. 漏 is the simpler everyday equivalent.

verb
to leak (liquid or gas)to divulgeto leak (information)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 泄漏。
    Qì chē yóu xiāng zhèng zài xiè lòu qì yóu.
    The car's gas tank is leaking gasoline.
  • 泄漏。
    Gōng sī nèi bù xìn xī bèi xiè lòu le.
    The company's internal information was leaked.
  • 泄漏。
    Tā wú yì zhōng xiè lòu le péng you de mì mì.
    He inadvertently leaked his friend's secret.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

泄xièleak
漏lòuleak

泄 and 漏 both describe something escaping.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

漏 combines 水 (water) and 屚 (to leak), showing water leaking.

Open 漏 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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