潜
submerge, conceal, hide, lower (voice), hush
Readings
On'yomi
- セン
Kun'yomi
- ひそ.む
- もぐ.る
- かく.れる
- くぐ.る
- ひそ.める
Meaning
潜 centers on going beneath a surface or out of sight: submerging in water, hiding oneself, concealing something, or lowering one's voice to a hush.
Most common words using 潜
20 of 95- 潜在せんざいN1
potentiality; dormancy; latency
- 潜水せんすいN1
diving; submerging; going underwater
- 潜入せんにゅうN1
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
- 潜むひそむN1
to lurk; to be hidden; to be concealed; to lie dormant; to be latent
- 潜るくぐるN1
to go under; to pass under; to go through; to pass through
- 潜伏せんぷく
concealment; hiding; ambush
- 潜りもぐり
diving; diver
- 潜めるひそめる
to hide; to conceal
- 潜りくぐり
side door; side gate; wicket gate
- 潜航せんこう
submarine voyage; underwater navigation
- 原潜げんせん
nuclear submarine
- 潜るもぐるN2
to dive (into or under water)
- 潜望鏡せんぼうきょう
periscope
- 潜り込むもぐりこむ
to slip into; to crawl into (under); to conceal oneself (under)
- 潜行せんこう
underwater navigation
- 潜舵せんだ
hydroplane (submarines); diving plane; diving rudder
- 潜水艦せんすいかんN1
submarine
- 潜在意識せんざいいしき
subconsciousness; the subconscious
- おやしお型潜水艦おやしおがたせんすいかん
Oyashio class submarine
- なりを潜めるなりをひそめる
to quieten down; to fall silent
Study
Etymology
潜 combines 氵 (water) with 替, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of replacing or changing, suggesting going under water or into hiding.
Meaning mnemonic
Water 氵 plus 替 (replace/change): imagine replacing your visible self with a hidden version by slipping underwater, concealing your presence.
Reading mnemonic
For セン, picture a submarine silently submerging: the 'sen' in submarine cues セン, and the submarine hides beneath the waves.