密报 (mì bào) — (verb) to report secretly; (noun) secret report

Definition

密报 is both a verb ('to report secretly') and a noun ('a secret report'), usually in intelligence, espionage, or military contexts. It implies covert, often high-stakes reporting to superiors, not casual private sharing.

verb
to report secretly
noun
secret report

Examples

  • 密报。
    Tā xiàng shàng jí mì bào le dí rén de dòng xiàng.
    He secretly reported the enemy's movements to his superiors.
  • 密报。
    Zhè fèn mì bào bì xū qīn zì jiāo gěi sī lìng.
    This secret report must be delivered personally to the commander.
  • 密报。
    Qíng bào yuán měi tiān dōu huì mì bào yí cì zuì xīn qíng kuàng.
    The intelligence officer secretly reports the latest situation once every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

密mìsecret
报bàoreport

「密」 as secret and 「报」 as report combine to mean a secret report or to report secretly.

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.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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