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谍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谍diéto spyn, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #23560, Very Hard
谍diéto spy; an intelligence reportn, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #23560, Very Hard
dié(die2)die T2
  1. 1to spy
  2. 2to spy; an intelligence report
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March 24, 2026

谍(諜)dié(die2)

The character 谍 (dié) refers to the concept of spying or espionage. It is commonly used in contexts involving intelligence gathering, secretive operations, or undercover work. The term can also refer to an intelligence report or document related to such activities.

Strokes11Radical讠Frequency#23560DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, espionage has historical significance, especially during times of war and political strife, with tales of spies often appearing in literature and film. The character reflects the seriousness of covert activities in maintaining state security.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'spy' sneaking around with a 'diary' (sounds like dié) to jot down secrets. The character 谍 has the radical for 'speech' (言) indicating communication, which ties into the idea of gathering information through covert conversations.

Meanings of 谍

dié(die2)
1to spy
2to spy; an intelligence report
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 谍

谍Simplified
諜Traditional
11Strokes
讠Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#23560Frequency Rank

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AI Study Notes for 谍

Quick Contrast

间谍 (jiān dié) vs 谍报 (dié bào) — use 谍 when referring specifically to the concept of espionage, while 间谍 emphasizes the role of a spy, and 谍报 refers to intelligence reports.

Usage Notes

This term is typically used in formal contexts related to intelligence and security. Learners often confuse it with similar words like '偷' (tōu), which means 'to steal.' Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is dié with a rising tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 谍 is not included in the official HSK levels, it can be beneficial for learners at HSK 4 or above who are interested in topics like politics or security. Focus on understanding its use in phrases related to intelligence.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谍 (dié) with 间谍 (jiàn dié), which is more specific. For example, saying '我是一名谍' (Wǒ shì yī míng dié) to mean 'I am a spy' is incorrect; it should be '我是一名间谍.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谍

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Etymology of 谍

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 枼 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諜.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)讠
+
Phonetic (sound)枼
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

谍 = 讠 + 枼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 谍

IDS Structure⿰讠枼
谍Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
枼ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 谍?

How to say to spy in Chinese

“to spy” in Chinese is谍dié

The character 谍 (dié) refers to the concept of spying or espionage. It is commonly used in contexts involving intelligence gathering, secretive operations, or undercover work. The term can also refer to an intelligence report or document related to such activities.

When to use 谍

This term is typically used in formal contexts related to intelligence and security. Learners often confuse it with similar words like '偷' (tōu), which means 'to steal.' Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is dié with a rising tone.

谍 or something close to it

间谍 (jiān dié) vs 谍报 (dié bào) — use 谍 when referring specifically to the concept of espionage, while 间谍 emphasizes the role of a spy, and 谍报 refers to intelligence reports.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 谍 (dié) with 间谍 (jiàn dié), which is more specific. For example, saying '我是一名谍' (Wǒ shì yī míng dié) to mean 'I am a spy' is incorrect; it should be '我是一名间谍.'

Write 谍

谍

Practice writing 谍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 谍

谍 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 2 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这是间____罪,应判死刑。

It was a crime of espionage and carried the death penalty.

Example Sentences for 谍 (5)

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1
这是间谍罪,应判死刑。

zhè shì jiān dié zuì, , yīng pàn sǐ。

It was a crime of espionage and carried the death penalty.
2
该特工人员为东德做了20多年的间谍。

gāi tè gōng rén yuán wéi dōng dé zuò le20 20 duō nián de jiān。

The agent spied for East Germany for more than twenty years.
3
他被指控为英国间谍,入狱关押了5年。

tā bèi zhǐ kòng wéi yīng guó jiān dié, , rù yù guān yā5 le。

He was jailed for five years as an alleged British spy.
4
那女间谍伪装成顾问工程师.

nà nǚ jiān dié wěi zhuāng chéng gù wèn gōng chéng shī.

The spy's cover was that she was a consultant engineer.
5
克劳斯·富克斯和罗森堡夫妇被揭露是核情报间谍.

kè láo sī· · fù kè sī hé luó sēn bǎo fū fù bèi jiē lòu shì hé qíng bào jiān.

Klaus Fuchs and the Rosenbergs were unmasked as some of the nuclear spies.

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Word Family of 谍

Words Containing This Character4
间谍jiàndiéspy間諜
谍diéto spy諜
谍报spy report諜報
间谍网spy network間諜網
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 谍

What does 间谍 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谍

间谍 (jiàn dié) is a more specific term for 'spy,' while 谍 can refer to the act of spying in general.

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