Definition
潜 as a verb can mean physically diving into water (潜水, 潜入水中), but it's also widely used for hiding, concealing oneself, or lying low in a stealthy way (潜伏, 潜藏). In medical or technical contexts, it can mean 'to be latent' (e.g., 潜伏期). The core idea is something that is beneath the surface, not immediately visible.
v.
(v.) to diveto submerge(v.) to hideto lurkto lie lowto be latent
Examples
- 。Tā qián rù shuǐ zhōng zhǎo diūshī de yàoshi.He dived into the water to look for the lost keys.
- 。Shìbīng men qián fú zài cǎocóng lǐ děngdài mìnglìng.The soldiers lay hidden in the grass waiting for orders.
- 。Zhè zhǒng bìngdú kěyǐ zài réntǐ nèi qián fú duō nián.This type of virus can lie dormant in the human body for many years.
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