Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| スパイ | supai | [sɨ̥pa̠i] (narrow) |
| 密偵 | mittei | [mʲit̚te̞ː] (narrow) |
| 探偵 | tantei | [tã̠nte̞ː] (narrow) |
| 諜報員 | chōhōin | [t͡ɕo̞ːho̞ːĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 間諜 | kanchō | [kã̠ɲ̟t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 回し者 | mawashimono | [ma̠β̞a̠ɕimo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| 忍びの者 | shinobi no mono | [ɕino̞bʲi no̞ mo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| 諜者 | chōsha | [t͡ɕo̞ːɕa̠] (narrow) |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 回し者 (mawashimono) literally means 'one who passes things around' and is used to describe an agent or someone acting on behalf of another to deliver information or influence.
Which one should you use?
諜報員 refers specifically to intelligence officers, while 回し者 describes an agent passing information. For historical contexts, 忍びの者 is used. The terms 密偵, 間諜 and 諜者 also exist as various ways to name a spy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
スパイ is the most common, everyday way to say 'spy' in modern Japanese, often used in movies and news. For a more formal or professional context, such as in government or technical discussions, use the term 諜報員 to refer to an intelligence officer or agent.
How do you pronounce it?
supai
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use 探偵 to mean 'spy', but it actually means 'detective'.
When do people say it?
The term 忍びの者 refers to spies in a historical or feudal context, specifically relating to ninja or shinobi.
Did you know?
- Ancient Japanese spies were not always 'ninja' but often included 回し者 who disguised themselves as traveling monks or merchants to blend into local crowds.
- The term 忍びの者 comes from the verb 忍ぶ (shinobu), which means both 'to endure' and 'to hide'.
- The word 間諜 (kancho) uses the character 間 meaning 'between' or 'interval', reflecting the spy's role of operating in the gaps between two opposing forces.
Examples in context
- トムはスパイじゃない。Tom isn't a spy.This sentence is useful for practicing the negation of スパイ.Tatoeba #8966092 by Ninja, translation #8962517 by CK
- 彼女はスパイと疑われた。She was suspected of being a spy.This sentence is useful for expressing suspicion involving スパイ.Tatoeba #92694 by bunbuku, translation #311015 by CK
- その男性はスパイとして逮捕された。The man was arrested as a spy.This sentence is useful for describing an arrest involving スパイ.Tatoeba #207999 by bunbuku, translation #45256 by CK
- 彼女はスパイです。She is a spy.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Ren are watching a movie about secret agents.
- 陽葵 Himariこの映画の主人公はスパイなの？Kono eiga no shujinkou wa supai nano?Is the main character in this movie a spy?
- 蓮 Renうん、とても優秀なスパイだよ。Un, totemo yuushuu na supai dayo.Yes, he is a very skilled spy.
- 陽葵 Himari正体がバレそうでドキドキするね。Shoutai ga baresou de dokidoki suru ne.It's exciting because it feels like his identity will be revealed.
- 蓮 Renそれがスパイ映画の醍醐味だよね。Sore ga supai eiga no daigomi dayone.That's the best part of spy movies.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spy” translations and entries スパイ, 密偵, 探偵, 諜報員, 間諜, 回し者, 忍びの者, 諜者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
