Back to dictionary
JLPT N210画 · 10 strokesradical 水freq #1476

submerge, sink, hidden

On'yomi (音読み)

  • セン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ひそ.む
  • ひそ.める

Mnemonic

As a thousand fish dive beneath the water, they submerge into the depths, hiding from sight.

About this kanji

The kanji "潜" primarily means to submerge or sink, and it often conveys the idea of something hidden or lurking. It can be used as both a noun and a verb, but it's commonly found in compounds. For example, "潜水する" (せんすいする) means "to dive," referring to submerging oneself in water. "潜在" (せんざい) means "潜在性" or "latent potential," which describes qualities that are not immediately visible. Additionally, "潜む" (ひそむ) means "to lurk," often referring to something that is hidden from sight. When using this kanji, remember it reflects the notion of being beneath the surface, whether literally or metaphorically.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 海に潜って魚を見る。

    I dive into the sea to see the fish.

Meanings across languages

English
submerge, sink, hidden
Tiếng Việt
ngụy trang, lặn, tiềm ẩn
日本語
潜む, 潜める
한국어
잠수하다, 숨다
中文
潜入, 隐藏
id
mendalami, tersembunyi
th
ดำน้ำ, ซ่อนอยู่
es
sumergir, oculto
fr
submerger, caché
de
untertauchen, versteckt
pt
submergir, escondido

Common compounds

  • 潜水するせんすいするto dive
  • 潜在せんざい潜在性, latent
  • 潜むひそむto lurk, to hide

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.