密輸

• Reading: みつゆ
• Romaji: mitsuyu
• Kanji breakdown: 密 (mitsu) — secret, hidden, dense; 輸 (yu) — transport, ship, send
• Pronunciation: /mi.tsɯ.jɯ/

Meaning

Smuggling; contraband trade. The illegal transportation of goods across national borders.

A noun and suru verb referring to the illegal import or export of goods. Common collocations include 密輸品 (smuggled goods/contraband), 密輸入 (smuggling in), 密輸出 (smuggling out), and 麻薬の密輸 (drug smuggling). Frequently appears in news reports about crime and customs enforcement. As a suru verb: 武器を密輸する (to smuggle weapons).

Examples

1. 空港で大量の密輸品が押収された。 A large quantity of contraband was seized at the airport.
2. 薬物を密輸しようとした男が逮捕された。 A man was arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs.
3. 国際的な密輸ネットワークの摘発が報じられた。 A crackdown on an international smuggling network was reported in the news.

Usage Guide

Context: law, crime, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 密 (mitsu, secret/hidden) + 輸 (yu, transport/ship). Literally 'secret transport' — moving goods covertly to evade legal controls.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal