奸细

奸細

jiānxì

noun #20,407

Measure Word

一个奸细 gè

Meanings

1 spy
2 traitor
3 mole
4 agent (of the enemy)

Characters

treacherous / wicked

fine / detailed / covert

Examples

HSK 7-9

军中混进了一个奸细，泄露了机密。

Jūnzhōng hùnjìn le yīgè jiānxì, xièlòu le jīmì.

A spy had infiltrated the army and leaked classified information.

HSK 7-9

古代战争中，奸细往往会被处以极刑。

Gǔdài zhànzhēng zhōng, jiānxì wǎngwǎng huì bèi chǔyǐ jíxíng.

In ancient warfare, traitors and spies were often executed.

Tips

register

奸细 has a classical and literary register, commonly encountered in historical novels, TV dramas set in ancient China, and war narratives. Modern equivalents include 间谍 (spy) and 内奸 (mole).

Stroke Order

奸 jiān

细 xì