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March 24, 2026
秘(祕)bì(bi4)
The character 秘 (bì) means 'secret' or 'mysterious.' It is often used in contexts related to confidentiality or hidden knowledge, such as in the term for 'secretary' (秘书 mìshū), which literally translates to 'secret keeper.' This word carries a nuance of privacy and exclusivity.
Strokes10Radical禾Frequency#6970DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of secrets is significant in areas such as ancient military strategy and personal relationships. The use of 秘 in terms like 'secret recipes' or 'hidden teachings' reflects the value placed on protected knowledge.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'bee' (sounds like 'bì') holding a secret honey stash in a hidden hive. The character 秘 is composed of the radical 秘 (which suggests 'hidden' or 'secret') and the component that looks like a 'door' (门), emphasizing something that is kept behind closed doors.
Meanings of 秘
bì(bi4)
primary
1secret
2secretary
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 秘
秘Simplified
祕Traditional
10Strokes
禾Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6970Frequency Rank
Podcast: 秘
Podcast: 秘
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AI Study Notes for 秘
Quick Contrast
秘密 (mìmì) vs 秘诀 (bìjué) — choose 秘 (bì) when referring to a general concept of 'secret' rather than a specific secret method or formula.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'bee' (sounds like 'bì') holding a secret honey stash in a hidden hive. The character 秘 is composed of the radical 秘 (which suggests 'hidden' or 'secret') and the component that looks like a 'door' (门), emphasizing something that is kept behind closed doors.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 秘 (bì) is pronounced with a falling tone, which is different from the variant 秘 (mì), pronounced with a rising tone. In formal contexts, it is often used in legal or administrative language, while in informal settings, it can describe personal secrets.
HSK Study Tips
Although 秘 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other level-appropriate words such as 秘密 (mìmì), meaning 'secret.' Students should focus on the pronunciation differences between 秘 (bì) and its variants to avoid confusion.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of secrets is significant in areas such as ancient military strategy and personal relationships. The use of 秘 in terms like 'secret recipes' or 'hidden teachings' reflects the value placed on protected knowledge.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 秘 (bì) with 秘密 (mìmì) and may mistakenly use 秘 when they mean to say 'secret' in a general context. For example, saying '这是我的秘' instead of '这是我的秘密' (This is my secret) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 秘
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Grammar Patterns of 秘
秘 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The details are filed away by his three secretaries for future reference.
9
我是个不称职的秘书。
wǒ shì gè bù chēng zhí de mì shū。
I was a lousy secretary.
10
找一位更好的秘书很难。
zhǎo yī wèi gēng hǎo de mì shū hěn nán。
You would be hard-pressed to find a better secretary.
Cultural Notes for 秘
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of secrets is significant in areas such as ancient military strategy and personal relationships. The use of 秘 in terms like 'secret recipes' or 'hidden teachings' reflects the value placed on protected knowledge.
Word Family of 秘
Words Containing This Character20
秘密mìmìsecret
神秘shénmìmysterious
秘书mìshūsecretary秘書
秘书长secretary-general秘書長
秘bìsecret
秘诀mìjuésecret know-how秘訣
秘鲁Peru秘魯
便秘constipation
秘方mìfāngsecret recipe祕方
副秘书长vice-secretary副秘書長
隐秘secret隱秘
奥秘àomìsecret奧祕
揭秘to unmask
秘籍rare book
诡秘secretive詭祕
文秘secretary
神秘莫测mystery神祕莫測
秘而不宣to withhold information祕而不宣
小秘(ironically) "secretary" (i.e. boss's mistress)
秘结constipation祕結
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 秘密 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 秘
秘 (bì, mì) refers to 'secret' or 'secretary,' while 秘鲁 (Bìlǔ) is the Chinese name for the country Peru. The first character, 秘, is used in various contexts, while 秘鲁 specifically denotes a geographic location.
To use 秘 in a sentence, you can say something like '这是一个秘密' (Zhè shì yīgè mìmì), meaning 'This is a secret.' When referring to a secretary, you might say '我的秘书非常忙' (Wǒ de mìmì fēicháng máng), which means 'My secretary is very busy.'
秘 (bì, mì) has multiple meanings in Chinese. It can refer to 'secret' or 'confidential,' and is also used in the context of a 'secretary.' Additionally, it appears in geographical names like 秘鲁 (Bìlǔ), which refers to Peru.
The character 秘 is pronounced as 'bì' in most contexts, but it can also be pronounced as 'mì' in specific phrases or regions.
秘密 (mìmì) is a compound word meaning 'secret' or 'confidential,' while 秘 (bì) on its own often refers to something secretive or mysterious.
Yes, 秘 can be used in everyday conversation, especially when discussing personal secrets or confidential matters.
