隐私

• Pinyin: yǐn sī
• Hanzi breakdown: 隐 = 阝(hill) + simplified form, meaning hidden; 私 = 禾 (grain) + 厶 (private), meaning private

Meaning

Privacy; private matters. Personal information or activities that one wishes to keep confidential.

A key term in modern discussions of data protection and personal rights. Common phrases: 隐私权 (right to privacy), 个人隐私 (personal privacy), 隐私泄露 (privacy breach), 隐私政策 (privacy policy), 侵犯隐私 (violate privacy). Increasingly important in the digital age.

Examples

1. 未经本人同意就公开他人隐私是违法行为。 Disclosing someone's privacy without their consent is illegal.
2. 这款应用收集了太多用户隐私数据，让人担忧。 This app collects too much user privacy data, which is concerning.
3. 我尊重你的隐私，但作为父母，有些事我必须过问。 I respect your privacy, but as a parent, there are some things I must ask about.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, technology, personal

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 请尊重我的隐私。(Please respect my privacy.)
• 这涉及到个人隐私问题。(This involves personal privacy issues.)

Don't Say

• 我有很多隐私要告诉你 — 隐私是不想让人知道的事，如果要分享就不叫隐私了

Origin & History

Compound of 隐 (hidden, private) + 私 (private, personal). Together meaning things that are personally private and hidden from others.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal