Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 隠れた | kakureta |
| 目に見えない | me ni mienai |
| 潜在する | senzai suru |
In Japanese, the choice of word for 'hidden' depends on whether you are describing something physically concealed, something that is invisible to the senses or an abstract concept like latent potential.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 目に見えない literally means 'cannot be seen by the eye', composed of 目 (eye), the particle に and 見えない (cannot see).
Which one should you use?
Use 隠れた when describing something that has been intentionally or accidentally concealed from view. In contrast, use 目に見えない for things that are physically invisible or imperceptible to the senses. For abstract concepts such as 'hidden potential' or 'latent abilities', use 潜在する.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 隠れた is the past tense of the verb 隠れる (to hide), but it functions as an adjective to describe the state of being hidden. While 隠れた describes a completed action or a fixed attribute, 隠れている is used to describe the ongoing state of someone who is currently in the act of hiding.
How do you pronounce it?
kakureta
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specialized term 隠し味 (kakushiaji), meaning 'hidden taste', to describe a secret ingredient that enhances a dish without being identifiable by the eater.
- In Japanese culture, the concept of 'hiddenness' is often linked to 'Ura', the 'hidden side' or 'back side' of things, which often carries a connotation of more complex or darker truths compared to the 'Omote' or 'front side'.
- The term 隠密 (onmitsu) refers to a 'hidden' or secret agent, which is the historical inspiration for the 'ninja' as clandestine operatives.
Examples in context
- リストの「忘れられたワルツ第3番」は隠れた名曲だと思う。I think that Liszt's "Forgotten Waltz No.3" is a hidden masterpiece.This sentence is useful for describing a piece of music as a hidden masterpiece using 隠れた.Tatoeba #2677444 by tommy_san, translation #2678454 by WestofEden
- アンナは壁の方を向き、数を数え始めました。「1・２・３・４・５・６・７・８・９・１０。隠れていようがいまいが、行くからね！」そう言うとアンナは、数を数える間に隠れた友達を、さがし始めました。Anna turned her face to the wall and began to count: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ready or not, here I come!" Then she started searching for her friends, who had hidden themselves in the meantime.This sentence shows the use of 隠れた when children are playing a game of hide and seek.Tatoeba #9717240 by small_snow, translation #9716598 by AlanF_US
- 隠れた才能を発見するのは素晴らしいことだ。It is wonderful to discover hidden talents.
- 彼女は秘めた才能を持っています。She has hidden talent.
- 彼はお金を隠し持ってるよ。He's hiding money.
- これは、隠し場所に置いておいたよ。I put this in the hidden spot.
- 入り口は真っ暗で隠れてしまっている。The entrance is hidden in darkness.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youta and Misaki are hiking in the woods.
- 美咲 Misakiあそこに隠れた道があるよ。Asoko ni kakureta michi ga aru yo.There is a hidden path over there.
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。全然見えなかったね。Hontou da. Zenzen mienakatta ne.You're right. I couldn't see it at all.
- 美咲 Misakiこの道を通ると、隠れた滝に行けるよ。Kono michi o tooru to, kakureta taki ni ikeru yo.If we take this path, we can go to a hidden waterfall.
- 陽太 Yotaそれはいいね。行ってみよう！Sore wa ii ne. Itte miyou!That sounds great. Let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hidden” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
