潜伏 qiánfú to hide
to hide; to cover up; to conceal
How to remember 潜伏: 潜 to hide + 伏 to crouch = to hide.
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How it is used
- To lie low/lie in wait, hidden and waiting - 敌人潜伏在暗处 (dírén qiánfú zài ànchù) the enemy lurks in the shadows.
- Also medical: 潜伏期 (qiánfúqī) the incubation/latency period of a disease.
- Implies concealment with intent or dormancy; contrast 潜在 (qiánzài) which is an adjective 'latent/potential', not the act of hiding.