秘 means “secret, hidden”

ひ · hi

Also: conceal

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ひめる, ひそか, かくす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヒ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

Grain (禾) and 必, certainly: picture a harvest stored where only you are certain to find it. 秘密 is a secret, a 秘書 keeps the boss's confidences as a secretary, and ramen shops boast of a 秘伝 sauce handed down in secret.

Used in 秘密 (himitsu, secret), 秘書 (hisho, secretary), and 神秘 (shinpi, mystery)

More from Hidden & Hazy

• 紛 mix in
• 隠 hide
• 潜 dive
• 覆 cover
• 披 open
• 虚 empty
• 顕 manifest
• 伏 lie face down
• 漠 vague
• 錯 mixed up
• 謎 riddle
• 匿 hide

Learn 秘 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.