1.
informer; informant; snitch
A person who secretly reports information about someone's activities to authorities or other parties. Often carries a negative connotation of betrayal or treachery.
密告者は誰だ。
Who is the informer?
密告者のおかげで犯人が捕まった。
The criminal was caught thanks to the informant.
組織の中に密告者がいるのではないかと疑われていた。
It was suspected that there was an informer within the organization.
密告 means 'secret report' or 'tip-off,' and 者 means 'person.' A 密告者 is someone who secretly informs on others, whether to police, authorities, or rival groups. The word appears frequently in crime fiction, historical dramas, and discussions of espionage.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 密告者を探す (to search for the informer)
- 密告者を守る (to protect the informant)
- 匿名の密告者 (anonymous informant)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 内通者 — mole, inside informant (emphasizes being an insider who leaks information)
- 告発者 — whistleblower, accuser (more neutral or positive; someone who exposes wrongdoing)
- スパイ — spy (broader term; someone who gathers secret information)