潜 meaning and stroke order
To hide; secret, latent, hidden
How to write 潜, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 潜
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- hidden
- secret
- latent
- to hide
- to conceal
- to submerge
How 潜 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 替 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 潜
潜 combines the water radical 氵 with 替 (tì). Picture something slipping under the water's surface and taking the place of the water there, hidden from view. That is diving and hiding.
潜 is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words about going underwater, like 潜水 (qiánshuǐ) and 潜艇 (qiántǐng), or about hidden ability, like 潜力 (qiánlì) and 潜在 (qiánzài). Example: 这个孩子很有潜力。(Zhège háizi hěn yǒu qiánlì.) This child has a lot of potential.
Common mistake: Learners often read 潜 as tì because of the phonetic part 替, but the character is pronounced qián with a rising second tone. Also watch the right side: it is 替, with two 夫 on top, not 赞 or 潜's lookalike 僣.
Common words with 潜
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 潜力 | qiánlì | potential; latent capacity | HSK 6 |
| 潜艇 | qiántǐng | a submarine | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜水 | qiánshuǐ | to dive; to go under water | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜在 | qiánzài | hidden; potential | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜能 | qiánnéng | potential; hidden capability | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜移默化 | qiányí-mòhuà | imperceptible influence; to influence secretly | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜入 | qiánrù | to submerge; to infiltrate | |
| 潜水艇 | qiánshuǐtǐng | a submarine | |
| 潜意识 | qiányìshí | unconscious mind; subconscious mind | |
| 潜伏 | qiánfú | to hide; to cover up | |
| 潜水员 | qiánshuǐyuán | diver; frogman | |
| 潜逃 | qiántáo | to abscond; to slink off | |
| 潜质 | qiánzhì | potential | |
| 潜望镜 | qiánwàngjìng | periscope |
潜 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 潜
How many strokes are in 潜?
潜 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 潜 mean?
潜 (qián) means to hide; secret, latent, hidden. A common word with it is 潜力 (qiánlì), meaning "potential; latent capacity".
How do you pronounce 潜?
潜 is pronounced qián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 潜?
The radical of 潜 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 潜 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 潜?
The traditional form of 潜 is 潛. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 潜 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 潜 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 潜 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 潜力 and 潜能?
Both mean potential. 潜力 (qiánlì) is the everyday word, used for people, markets, or products. 潜能 (qiánnéng) sounds more formal or psychological and stresses hidden inner capability.
How do you use 潜移默化 in a sentence?
It describes a slow, unnoticed influence, often from family, culture, or environment. Example: 父母的习惯对孩子有潜移默化的影响。(Fùmǔ de xíguàn duì háizi yǒu qiányí-mòhuà de yǐngxiǎng.) Parents' habits quietly shape their children.