1.
spy; secret agent; espionage operative
A person who secretly gathers intelligence or information for a government or organization. A literary and historical term, more formal than the loanword スパイ.
敵の間諜が捕まった。
An enemy spy was captured.
間諜活動は戦時中に活発だった。
Espionage activities were active during wartime.
歴史小説の中で間諜として活躍する主人公が描かれている。
The novel depicts a protagonist who plays an active role as a spy.
間 means 'between' or 'gap,' and 諜 means 'to spy' or 'to investigate secretly.' 間諜 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:
- 間諜活動 (espionage activities)
- 間諜を送り込む (to send in a spy)
- 間諜網 (spy network)
- 敵の間諜 (enemy spy)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- スパイ — spy (the most common everyday word; a loanword from English)
- 諜報員 — intelligence agent (more formal; emphasizes the intelligence-gathering role)
- 工作員 — operative, agent (used for covert agents, often with a nuance of subversive activity)
- 忍者 — ninja (historical Japanese spy/assassin; different era and context)