潜
潜·hide, dive
- On-yomi
- セン
- Kun-yomi
- ひそ(む)もぐ(る)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 潜水 | せんすい | diving, submerging |
| 潜む | ひそむ | to lurk, lie hidden |
| 潜る | もぐる | to dive, burrow under |
| 潜在 | せんざい | latent, potential |
Example sentences
彼は海に潜るのが得意だ。
かれはうみにもぐるのがとくいだ。
He is good at diving into the sea.
その計画には危険が潜んでいる。
そのけいかくにはきけんがひそんでいる。
There is danger lurking in that plan.
子供の潜在能力を引き出したい。
こどものせんざいのうりょくをひきだしたい。
I want to draw out children's latent ability.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 潜る（もぐる, to physically dive under) and 潜む（ひそむ, to lie hidden).
- Reading 潜在 as せんざい, not ひそざい.
Memory aid
Picture it
Water 氵 beside 替 — slipping under the surface so that one thing replaces another unseen.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 潜 mean?