隠(かく)し事(ごと)

かくしごと
noun
secret; something hidden
communicationsociety
1. secret; something hidden; something concealed
Something that a person is deliberately keeping from others. Composed of 隠す (to hide) + 事 (thing/matter). Implies a personal secret that the person does not want revealed.
彼女(かのじょ)には隠(かく)し事(ごと)がある。
She has a secret.
It's better not to have secrets between a married couple.
It seems like the child is hiding something — they've been acting strangely lately.

Usage

隠(かく)し事(ごと) refers specifically to a personal secret — something one person is concealing from another. It often comes up in discussions of trust in relationships.

Common collocations

  • 隠(かく)し事(ごと)をする (keep a secret)
  • 隠(かく)し事(ごと)がある (have a secret)
  • 隠(かく)し事(ごと)がばれる (one's secret is found out)
  • 隠(かく)し事(ごと)はしない (not keep secrets)

Similar words

秘密(ひみつ) is a broader term for "secret" that can refer to official secrets, mysteries, or personal secrets. 隠(かく)し事(ごと) specifically implies a personal matter being deliberately concealed from someone close. 内緒(ないしょ) means "keeping something between us" and has a lighter, more casual nuance.