in secret; behind the scenes
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesadverb
in secret; covertly; surreptitiously
neutralUsed to describe actions done privately without others' knowledge. Often implies a sense of sneakiness or doing something one shouldn't. It functions as an adverbial phrase.
Tā他
àn暗
dì地
cháo嘲
xiào笑
bié别
rén人
de的
cuò错
wù误
。
He secretly laughed at other people's mistakes.
Suī虽
rán然
biǎo表
miàn面
shàng上
tóng同
yì意
，
dàn但
tā他
àn暗
dì地
què却
zài在
jì计
huà划
lí离
kāi开
。
Although he agreed on the surface, he was secretly planning to leave.
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Bú不
yào要
àn暗
dì地
chuán传
xián闲
huà话
，
yǒu有
yì意
jiàn见
jiù就
dāng当
miàn面
shuō说
。
Don't gossip behind people's backs; if you have an opinion, say it to their face.
Tā他
men们
liǎ俩
àn暗
dì地
xiāng相
liàn恋
yǐ已
jīng经
hěn很
jiǔ久
le了
。
The two of them have been secretly in love for a long time.
Zhè这
gè个
jì计
huà划
shì是
jǐ几
gè个
rén人
àn暗
dì地
cè策
huà划
de的
，
qí其
tā他
rén人
dōu都
bù不
zhī知
qíng情
。
This plan was covertly devised by a few people; the others were not aware.