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Kotomora

隠

conceal, hide, cover

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • イン
  • オン

Kun'yomi

  • かく.す
  • かく.し
  • かく.れる
  • よ.る

Nanori

  • お
  • がくし

Meaning

隠 centers on making something unseen or unknown: concealing, hiding, or covering something from view or knowledge.

Most common words using 隠

20 of 186
  • 隠しかくし

    hiding; concealing; being hidden; being concealed

  • 隠すかくす
    N3

    to hide; to conceal

  • 隠れかくれ

    hidden; concealed; unknown; crypto-

  • 隠蔽いんぺい

    concealment; hiding; covering up; suppression

  • 目隠しめかくし

    something used to cover the eyes; blindfold; blinder; blinker; eye bandage

  • 隠れ家かくれが

    hiding place; hideout; refuge

  • 隠れるかくれる
    N4

    to hide; to conceal oneself; to take cover

  • 隠れんぼかくれんぼ

    hide-and-seek (game); hide-and-go-seek

  • 隠密おんみつ

    secret; clandestine; covert; stealthy

  • 隠岐おき

    Oki (former province located on Oki Island in present-day Shimane Prefecture)

  • 隠滅いんめつ

    destruction (esp. of evidence); spoliation; suppression

  • 隠居いんきょ
    N1

    retirement (from work); leading a quiet life (after retirement)

  • 隠語いんご

    secret language; jargon; cant; argot; slang

  • 神隠しかみかくし

    mysterious disappearance; being spirited away

  • 隠れ蓑かくれみの

    cover (e.g. for illegal activity); front; guise

  • 隠匿いんとく

    concealment (esp. of wrongdoings or criminals); sheltering; harboring

  • 隠し子かくしご

    illegitimate child; secret love child

  • 見え隠れみえかくれ

    appearing and disappearing; slipping in and out of view

  • 隠し事かくしごと

    secret; secrecy

  • 隠遁いんとん

    retirement (from the world); seclusion

Explore all words using 隠 →

Study

Etymology

隠 is the modern simplified form of 隱. The older form combines ⻖ (hill, mound) with a phonetic component that also suggests covering or hiding. The modern form replaces the right side with a simplified structure containing 爫, 彐, and 心.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side ⻖ suggests a mound or hill, and the right side has a hand 爫 reaching over something 彐 to cover the heart 心. Picture hiding a secret heart behind a hill, covering it with your hand.

Reading mnemonic

For イン, imagine hiding inside an inn: inn -> イン, and you conceal yourself behind the hill-like walls.