潜藏 (qián cáng) — to go into hiding, to be in hiding

Definition

Means to lie hidden or lurking, often for an extended time — danger, emotions, or people concealed beneath the surface. Stronger and more literary than everyday 躲藏 ("to hide").

verb
to go into hidingto be in hiding

Examples

  • ，潜藏。
    Tā wèi le duǒ bì zhuī bǔ, bù dé bù qián cáng zài shēn shān lǐ.
    He had to go into hiding in the deep mountains to avoid capture.
  • 潜藏。
    Zhè xiē wēi xiǎn yīn sù yì zhí qián cáng zài wǒ men shēn biān.
    These dangerous factors have been lurking around us.
  • 潜藏。
    Tā de xīn zhōng qián cáng zhe shēn shēn de bēi shāng.
    Deep sadness lies hidden in her heart.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

潜qiánhide
藏cángconceal

潜 and 藏 both describe hiding away, together meaning to lie concealed.

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 潛; 潜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
朁
朁cǎn潛qián
Same sound today

The form 潛 has 水 as a meaning part and 朁 as a sound part; this note is about 潛, not the simplified 潜.

Open 潜 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

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