xièlù: 泄露 - Leak, Divulge, Disclose

• Keywords: 泄露, xielu, what does xielu mean, Chinese for leak, disclose information in Chinese, reveal a secret Chinese, 泄露 pinyin, 泄露 meaning, data leak Chinese, privacy in China, 透露 vs 泄露.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of the Chinese word 泄露 (xièlù), which translates to “leak,” “divulge,” or “disclose.” This essential HSK 5 verb is used to describe the unintentional or malicious release of confidential information, from personal secrets and private data to corporate and state secrets. This page will break down its characters, cultural context, and practical use in modern China, helping you understand a critical concept in today's information-driven world.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xièlù
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To leak, divulge, or disclose confidential information or secrets, usually with a negative connotation.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 泄露 (xièlù) as a digital or informational “leak.” It's not just about telling a secret; it implies a breach of security, trust, or privacy. The information that gets out was supposed to be contained and protected, but it has escaped, either by accident, carelessness, or malicious intent. It’s a formal and serious word you'll frequently see in news reports about data breaches, corporate espionage, or political scandals.

• 泄 (xiè): This character's left side is the water radical (氵), immediately connecting it to the idea of liquids. The right side (世 shì) means “world” or “generation” and provides the sound. Combined, 泄 means to leak, to drain, or to let something out, like water escaping from a container.
• 露 (lù): The top part is the rain radical (雨). The bottom part (路 lù), meaning “road,” provides the sound. The original meaning of 露 is “dew.” By extension, it means to be uncovered, revealed, or exposed to the open, just as dew forms on surfaces left outside overnight.

When you combine 泄 (to leak out) and 露 (to expose), you get 泄露 (xièlù). The word paints a vivid picture: information that was once contained has leaked out and is now exposed for all to see.

In Chinese culture, as in many others, discretion and the protection of information are highly valued. However, the concept of 泄露 (xièlù) takes on a particular weight in the modern era, reflecting global anxieties about information security. A key cultural comparison is between 泄露 (xièlù) and the Western concept of “whistleblowing.” While both involve revealing secret information, their connotations differ significantly. 泄露 is almost always seen as a failure—a security breach, an act of betrayal, or a mistake. It focuses on the negative outcome of the leak. Whistleblowing, on the other hand, can be framed positively as a courageous act of exposing wrongdoing for the greater good. The Chinese equivalent for this is closer to 揭发 (jiēfā) or 举报 (jǔbào), which means “to expose” or “to report” wrongdoing. Using 泄露 to describe a whistleblower's actions would be neutral at best, and could even imply their actions were illegitimate or damaging. This distinction highlights how the language reflects different cultural perspectives on the release of sensitive information.

泄露 is a common and important word in formal and semi-formal contexts. Its usage has exploded with the rise of the internet and concerns over digital privacy.

• Data and Technology: This is the most common context today. You will constantly hear about 数据泄露 (shùjù xièlù) - data leaks - and 个人信息泄露 (gèrén xìnxī xièlù) - personal information leaks.
• Business and Government: In a corporate or official setting, 泄露 refers to grave security breaches. For example, 泄露商业机密 (xièlù shāngyè jīmì) means “to leak business secrets,” and 泄露国家机密 (xièlù guójiā jīmì) means “to leak state secrets,” a very serious crime.
• Personal Life: While you can use it for personal secrets (泄露秘密 - xièlù mìmì), it sounds quite formal. In a casual chat about a friend who couldn't keep a secret, you might use a simpler phrase like 说出去了 (shuō chūqù le) - “they said it out.” Using 泄露 implies the secret was of significant importance.

The connotation of 泄露 is overwhelmingly negative, suggesting harm, carelessness, or betrayal.

• Example 1:
  • 黑客攻击导致大量用户数据被泄露。
  • Pinyin: Hēikè gōngjī dǎozhì dàliàng yònghù shùjù bèi xièlù.
  • English: The hacker attack caused a large amount of user data to be leaked.
  • Analysis: A very typical sentence you'd read in a news article. The passive voice with 被 (bèi) is common, as the focus is on the data that was leaked, not who leaked it.
• Example 2:
  • 请放心，我们绝不会泄露您的个人信息。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng fàngxīn, wǒmen jué bù huì xièlù nín de gèrén xìnxī.
  • English: Please rest assured, we will never disclose your personal information.
  • Analysis: This is a classic “privacy policy” sentence. It's a formal promise to a customer, making 泄露 the perfect word choice.
• Example 3:
  • 他因为向竞争对手泄露公司机密而被解雇了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi xiàng jìngzhēng duìshǒu xièlù gōngsī jīmì ér bèi jiěgù le.
  • English: He was fired for leaking company secrets to a competitor.
  • Analysis: This example shows 泄露 used in the context of corporate espionage. The preposition 向 (xiàng) indicates who the information was leaked to.
• Example 4:
  • 是谁泄露了我们的计划？
  • Pinyin: Shì shéi xièlù le wǒmen de jìhuà?
  • English: Who leaked our plan?
  • Analysis: A direct question trying to find the source of the leak. It conveys a sense of anger or panic.
• Example 5:
  • 媒体泄露的这份文件是伪造的。
  • Pinyin: Méitǐ xièlù de zhè fèn wénjiàn shì wěizào de.
  • English: This document leaked by the media is a forgery.
  • Analysis: Here, 泄露的 (xièlù de) acts as an adjective phrase modifying “document.” It means “the leaked document” or “the document that was leaked.”
• Example 6:
  • 为了防止信息泄露，公司加强了网络安全。
  • Pinyin: Wèile fángzhǐ xìnxī xièlù, gōngsī jiāqiáng le wǎngluò ānquán.
  • English: In order to prevent information leaks, the company has strengthened its cybersecurity.
  • Analysis: 防止 (fángzhǐ) means “to prevent.” This sentence structure, “to prevent X, we did Y,” is very useful.
• Example 7:
  • 他不小心把会议的内容泄露给了记者。
  • Pinyin: Tā bù xiǎoxīn bǎ huìyì de nèiróng xièlù gěi le jìzhě.
  • English: He accidentally leaked the contents of the meeting to a reporter.
  • Analysis: 不小心 (bù xiǎoxīn) shows the leak was unintentional. The 把 (bǎ) construction emphasizes the object (the meeting's contents) and what was done to it.
• Example 8:
  • 泄露国家机密是严重的犯罪行为。
  • Pinyin: Xièlù guójiā jīmì shì yánzhòng de fànzuì xíngwéi.
  • English: Leaking state secrets is a serious criminal act.
  • Analysis: Here, 泄露 acts as the subject of the sentence (the act of leaking).
• Example 9:
  • 丑闻是在一名心怀不满的员工泄露内部邮件后曝光的。
  • Pinyin: Chǒuwén shì zài yī míng xīnhuái bùmǎn de yuángōng xièlù nèibù yóujiàn hòu bàoguāng de.
  • English: The scandal came to light after a disgruntled employee leaked internal emails.
  • Analysis: This shows a more complex narrative. The leak is the direct cause of the scandal being exposed (曝光 bàoguāng).
• Example 10:
  • 我们必须调查信息泄露的渠道。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū diàochá xìnxī xièlù de qúdào.
  • English: We must investigate the channels through which the information was leaked.
  • Analysis: 渠道 (qúdào) means “channel” or “medium.” This is a common corporate or official response to a leak.

• 泄露 (xièlù) vs. 透露 (tòulù): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 泄露 (xièlù): A negative “leak.” It's often involuntary, accidental, or malicious. The focus is on the breach of confidentiality.
  • 透露 (tòulù): A neutral or strategic “revealing.” It's often a conscious, controlled decision to release some information.
  • Example: A government spokesperson might 透露 (tòulù) a few details about a new plan to the press. But if the entire secret plan ends up online, it has been 泄露 (xièlù).
  • Incorrect: ~~发言人泄露了新政策的一些细节。~~ (Spokesperson leaked some details of the new policy.) This sounds like the spokesperson made a terrible mistake.
  • Correct: 发言人透露了新政策的一些细节。 (Spokesperson revealed some details of the new policy.)
• Information Leaks, Not Water Leaks: While the character 泄 is related to water, the word 泄露 is used almost exclusively for information, secrets, and data. To talk about a physical leak, like a pipe or a roof, you should use 漏水 (lòu shuǐ).
  • Incorrect: ~~天花板在泄露。~~
  • Correct: 天花板在漏水。 (The ceiling is leaking water.)
• Use for Confidential Information Only: Don't use 泄露 for everyday, non-secret information. It's overkill and sounds strange.
  • Incorrect: ~~我向朋友泄露我今天吃了披萨。~~ (I leaked to my friend that I ate pizza today.)
  • Correct: 我告诉朋友我今天吃了披萨。 (I told my friend I ate pizza today.)

• 透露 (tòulù) - To reveal, to disclose. A crucial counterpart to `泄露`, as it's typically a voluntary and controlled act.
• 暴露 (bàolù) - To expose, to reveal. Often used for exposing something physical (e.g., skin) or a hidden identity/flaw.
• 秘密 (mìmì) - A secret (noun/adjective). This is the “what” that gets leaked.
• 机密 (jīmì) - Confidential, classified. A more formal term than `秘密`, used for business and state information.
• 隐私 (yǐnsī) - Privacy. The concept that is violated by a `个人信息泄露` (personal information leak).
• 漏 (lòu) - To leak, to omit, to leave out. The root character, can refer to physical leaks (`漏水`) or missing information (`漏掉一个字`).
• 出卖 (chūmài) - To betray, to sell out. This implies intentionally leaking information for personal gain or to harm someone, highlighting the motive.
• 揭发 (jiēfā) - To expose, to unmask. Specifically used for revealing wrongdoing, similar to “whistleblowing.”
• 说出去 (shuō chūqù) - To tell (a secret), to let slip. A very common and informal way to talk about revealing something that was supposed to be kept quiet.