侦 zhēn — to scout; to spy
警察正在侦查这起案件。Jǐng chá zhèng zài zhēn chá zhè qǐ àn jiàn.The police are investigating this case.
Common words: 侦探 (zhēn tàn)、侦察 (zhēn chá)、经侦 (jīng zhēn)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to spy"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to spy", including 侦 (zhēn), 谍 (dié). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to spy" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 侦 (zhēn), 谍 (dié) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span zhēn, dié — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 侦 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 侦 zhēnto scout; to spyUseful words: 侦探, 侦察
- 谍 diéto spyUseful words: 间谍, 谍战
Common words for these 2 "to spy" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 侦 (zhēn) — so "to spy" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
侦探zhēn tàndetective; to do detective work侦察zhēn cháto investigate a crime; to scout; to reconnoiter; reconnaissance经侦jīng zhēneconomic crime investigation间谍jiàn diéspy谍战dié zhàn(movie genre) espionage thriller (typically involving Chinese agents opposing the Japanese in the 1930s and 40s)谍报dié bàospy report; intelligence
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "to spy".
谍 dié — to spy
这部电影讲的是一个间谍的故事。Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng de shì yí ge jiàn dié de gù shi.This movie tells the story of a spy.
Common words: 间谍 (jiàn dié)、谍战 (dié zhàn)、谍报 (dié bào)
All 2 characters
Open 侦、谍 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.