spy; ninja-like agent
Archaic term for a spy or undercover agent serving a samurai during the Warring States period (Sengoku era).
During the Warring States period, suppa infiltrated enemy camps to gather intelligence.
Archaic extended meanings: a thief or a liar. These senses are rare and mostly found in historical texts.
In old documents, there are examples where suppa is used to mean a thief or a liar.
忍者 is the more common and broader term for a covert agent in feudal Japan, while 素っ破 specifically refers to a spy serving a samurai in the Warring States period.
間者 is another archaic term for a spy or secret agent, often used interchangeably with 素っ破 in historical contexts.
Most common kanji spelling for this archaic term.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard modern spelling.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard modern spelling.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common.
The exact origin is uncertain. The kanji 素っ破 and 透っ波 are likely ateji, chosen for their phonetic values and suggestive meanings (素 'plain, unadorned' and 破 'break, destroy'; 透 'transparent, penetrate' and 波 'wave'). The reading すっぱ may derive from a native Japanese word for a swift or stealthy person.