藏身

• Pinyin: cáng shēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 藏 = 艹 (grass) + 臧 (phonetic); 身 = pictograph of a pregnant woman, meaning 'body/person'

Meaning

To hide oneself; to take shelter; to find a place to conceal oneself.

Often followed by a locative phrase (藏身于, 藏身之处). Can be used neutrally (seeking shelter) or negatively (evading capture). More literary than the colloquial 躲起来.

Examples

1. 嫌犯一直藏身于城郊一处废弃仓库中，直到被邻居发现后报警。 The suspect had been hiding in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city until a neighbour spotted him and called the police.
2. 在战乱年代，许多平民百姓被迫藏身于地窖或山洞中以躲避战火。 During the years of war, many ordinary civilians were forced to take shelter in cellars or caves to escape the fighting.
3. 他在这座大城市里无处藏身，最终选择向警方自首。 He had nowhere to hide in this great city and ultimately chose to turn himself in to the police.

Usage Guide

Context: crime, history, literature, survival

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 在敌人的重重包围下，他们找到了一处山洞藏身。(Surrounded on all sides by enemies, they found a cave to hide in.)
• 这名逃犯辗转多地，始终找不到安全的藏身之所。(The fugitive moved from place to place but could never find a safe place to hide.)

Don't Say

• 他藏身在沙发后面和朋友玩游戏。(藏身 has a serious or literary tone; for casual hide-and-seek use 躲在 or 藏在)

Origin & History

藏 (to hide) + 身 (body, oneself). Literally 'to hide one's body/person'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal