諜報員(ちょうほういん)

ちょうほういん
noun
intelligence agent; spy
formaloccupationmilitary
1. intelligence agent; secret agent
Someone employed by a state or military organization to gather secret information. A formal term, used in news reporting and spy fiction.
彼(かれ)は元(もと)諜報員(ちょうほういん)だ。
He is a former intelligence agent.
諜報員(ちょうほういん)として十年(じゅうねん)活動(かつどう)していた。
He worked as an intelligence agent for ten years.
外交官(がいこうかん)を装(よそお)っていた諜報員(ちょうほういん)が国外(こくがい)に追放(ついほう)されたと報道(ほうどう)された。
It was reported that an intelligence agent posing as a diplomat had been expelled from the country.

諜報(ちょうほう) (intelligence gathering) + 員(いん) (staff member). The word is neutral in itself, unlike スパイ, which can be used accusingly.

Common collocations

  • 諜報員(ちょうほういん)を送(おく)り込(こ)む: to plant an intelligence agent
  • 元(もと)諜報員(ちょうほういん): a former intelligence agent
  • 諜報員(ちょうほういん)活動(かつどう): espionage activity

Similar words

  • スパイ: spy — the everyday loanword, more common in casual speech
  • 工作員(こうさくいん): covert operative — implies active sabotage or manipulation, not just information gathering

Related Words

Compare: スパイ (spy)
Compare: 工作員 (covert operative)
Compare: 間諜(かんちょう) (spy)
Compare: 密偵(みってい) (spy)
general
Added 2026.7.27 12:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
30000/30160_chouhouin