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They all carry the meaning of "secret" in English, but are there differences
in nuance and usage of each of them:

> [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}  
>  [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ}  
>  [隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと}  
>  [秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと}

Incidentally, why is it that there is [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}[話]{ばなし} but you have to
add の into [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ}の[話]{はなし}?
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2011-06-05T02:35:50.877
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2012-01-03T10:29:37.387
2011-12-21T07:18:15.570
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word-choice words nuances
Are there differences in nuance and usage of [内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}, [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ}, [隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと} and [秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと}?
I can't speak for the difference in usage, but Naishobanashi is actually one
word, hence why you don't need the "no", whereas himitsu no hanashi is phrase.
I've confirmed with two two dictionaries that Naishobanashi is indead one word
and that himitsu no hanashi is two words.

Edit: if you are going to vote down an answer, it would be appreciated if you
mentioned why.
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2011-06-05T02:48:28.913
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2011-06-05T03:03:08.230
2011-06-05T03:03:08.230
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I think that 秘密 has two usages, one of which is interchangeable with 内緒 and
the other is interchangeable with 隠し事 or 秘め事. 隠し事 and 秘め事 are synonyms
although 秘め事 sounds more poetic to me.

**Cases where 秘密 and 内緒 are correct but 隠し事 and 秘め事 are incorrect** :

  * That is secret. それは秘密 [内緒] だ。
  * Let’s keep this between us. このことは秘密 [内緒] にしておこう。
  * secretly 秘密で, 秘密に or 内緒で

In this usage, I feel that 秘密 is more formal than 内緒.

**Cases where 秘密, 隠し事 and 秘め事 are correct but 内緒 is incorrect** :

“Something which is kept secret” is 秘密, 隠し事 or 秘め事, but not 内緒. For example,

  * “He has secret” is 彼には秘密 [隠し事, 秘め事] がある。

As for why 内緒話 is much more common than 秘密話, ~~it’s secret~~ I do not know. It
seems to me like one of the many cases where one phrase is used more often
than another for no particular reason. By the way, I would not say 秘密話 is
incorrect. If someone uses the word 秘密話, I will understand its meaning
naturally and it will not strike me as incorrect.
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2011-06-05T17:47:21.890
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2011-06-05T17:57:58.110
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I don't know what dictionary you are going by, but most of these words should
have clarifying notes as to what they mean beyond "secret".

[内]{ない}[緒]{しょ}, in this case, is the odd one out, and means "confidential" or
"off the record"; "between [us]".

[秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ} is closer in meaning to what one in English would understand as
a "secret"; the property of something not being told, and not being shown.
[秘]{ひ}め[事]{ごと} is similar in meaning, but also carries some pretty specific
connotations of being possibly embarrassing but probably not bad, like a
secret crush, or such.

[隠]{かく}し[事]{ごと} has a distinct connotation of something that is being actively
hidden from others; rather than information that is simply not being
disseminated. This form also implies more strongly than [秘]{ひ}[密]{みつ} that the
information shouldn't actually _be_ secret.
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2012-01-03T10:29:37.387
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