谍 dié to spy
How to remember 谍: 讠 words + 枼 leaves = to spy. Hoping to catch a few words of the secret plan, the little brother hides behind the leaves of the hedge to spy on his sister.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
谍 = 讠 words + 枼 leaves
- 讠 words meaning
- 枼 leaves sound
Hoping to catch a few words of the secret plan, the little brother hides behind the leaves of the hedge to spy on his sister.
How it came to be
Words give the meaning and the sign for leaves gives the sound.
How it is used
- A bound character for 'espionage': 间谍 (jiàndié) a spy, 谍报 (diébào) intelligence, 谍战 (diézhàn) spy warfare (谍战片, a spy thriller).
- Confined to espionage vocabulary; not used alone.