間諜(かんちょう)

間(かん) means 'between' or 'gap,' and 諜(ちょう) means 'to spy' or 'to investigate secretly.' 間諜(かんちょう) is a literary and somewhat old-fashioned word for 'spy,' appearing in historical texts, war novels, and formal discussions of espionage. In everyday speech, スパイ is more common.

Common collocations

• 間諜(かんちょう)活動(かつどう) (espionage activities)
• 間諜(かんちょう)を送(おく)り込(こ)む (to send in a spy)
• 間諜(かんちょう)網(もう) (spy network)
• 敵(てき)の間諜(かんちょう) (enemy spy)

Similar words

• スパイ — spy (the most common everyday word; a loanword from English)
• 諜報員(ちょうほういん) — intelligence agent (more formal; emphasizes the intelligence-gathering role)
• 工作員(こうさくいん) — operative, agent (used for covert agents, often with a nuance of subversive activity)
• 忍者(にんじゃ) — ninja (historical Japanese spy/assassin; different era and context)