藏匿

• Pinyin: cáng nì
• Hanzi breakdown: 藏 = 艹 (grass) + 臧 (phonetic, 'to store'); 匿 = 匚 (container) + 若 (phonetic)

Meaning

To hide; to conceal (oneself or something, often with criminal intent).

More formal and legal in register than 躲藏. Frequently appears in police, judicial, and news contexts: 藏匿赃款 (conceal stolen money), 藏匿罪犯 (harbour a criminal). Implies deliberate concealment to avoid discovery.

Examples

1. 警方在搜查中发现嫌疑人将大量现金藏匿于地下室夹层内。 During the search, police discovered the suspect had concealed a large amount of cash inside a false partition in the basement.
2. 他在逃亡期间辗转多地，藏匿于偏远山区长达半年之久。 During his time on the run, he moved between multiple locations, hiding in a remote mountain area for as long as half a year.
3. 协助藏匿逃犯的行为同样构成违法，将依法追究相关责任。 Helping to harbour a fugitive also constitutes a crime and those involved will be held legally accountable.

Usage Guide

Context: law, crime, news, investigation

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 经查，该官员将受贿款项藏匿在多个境外账户中。(Investigation revealed the official had concealed the bribe money in multiple overseas accounts.)
• 嫌疑人藏匿于出租屋内，最终被特警突击逮捕。(The suspect was hiding in a rented flat and was eventually arrested in a special police raid.)

Don't Say

• 她把礼物藏匿起来给他惊喜。(藏匿 implies illicit or criminal concealment; for hiding a surprise gift use 藏好 or 偷偷藏起来)

Origin & History

藏 (to hide, store) + 匿 (to conceal, hide away). Both characters carry the sense of deliberate concealment.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal