1.
to hold one's breath; to breathe quietly
To breathe as quietly as possible, often while hiding or waiting tensely.
物陰に隠れて息を潜めていた。
I hid in the shadows, holding my breath.
全員が息を潜めて発表を待った。
Everyone held their breath waiting for the announcement.
2.
to lie low; to keep a low profile
To remain quiet and unnoticed, avoiding attention while waiting for a situation to pass.
騒動が収まるまで息を潜めていよう。
Let's lie low until the commotion dies down.
IDIOM STRUCTURE:
息 (breath) + を + 潜める (to conceal, to lower)
The verb 潜める means to suppress, conceal, or lower (one's voice, presence, etc.).
GRAMMAR:
〜して息を潜める - to hold one's breath while doing ~
息を潜めて + verb - doing ~ while holding one's breath
CONJUGATION:
- 息を潜める (present)
- 息を潜めた (past)
- 息を潜めて (te-form, often used adverbially)
NUANCE:
Implies tension, fear, or deliberate concealment. Often used in suspenseful situations or when trying to avoid detection. The figurative sense (lie low) suggests strategic waiting.
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 息を止める - to stop breathing (more literal)
- 息を殺す - to hold one's breath (stronger, almost killing one's breath)
- 身を潜める - to hide oneself
- 鳴りを潜める - to keep quiet, to lie low