1.
to sneak in, to steal into, to slip in secretly
To enter a place secretly and without being noticed, often with the intent to do something covert. Can refer to physical intrusion by a person or the gradual, unnoticed arrival of something abstract.
泥棒が家に忍び込んだ。
A thief snuck into the house.
猫がいつの間にか部屋に忍び込んでいた。
A cat had slipped into the room without anyone noticing.
夜中にこっそり学校の校舎に忍び込んだことがある。
I once snuck into the school building in the middle of the night.
USAGE:
A compound verb combining 忍ぶ (to endure; to hide) and 込む (to go in deeply). Emphasizes stealth and secrecy. Common in crime reporting, mystery fiction, and everyday stories about entering somewhere covertly.
GRAMMAR:
Godan verb ending in む. Takes に to mark the destination: Xに忍び込む.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 家に忍び込む: to sneak into a house
- 部屋に忍び込む: to steal into a room
- こっそり忍び込む: to sneak in secretly
- 夜中に忍び込む: to sneak in at night