harbor evil intentions; have ulterior motives
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesverb phrase
to harbor evil intentions; to have ulterior motives
informalA metaphorical idiom describing someone secretly plotting something bad or dishonest. It carries a strong negative connotation.
Kàn看
tā他
nà那
tūn吞
tūn吞
tǔ吐
tǔ吐
de的
yàng样
zi子
，
zhǔn准
shì是
xīn心
lǐ里
huái怀
zhe着
guǐ鬼
tāi胎
。
Look at his hesitating manner; he must be harboring evil intentions.
Tán谈
pàn判
qián前
，
shuāng双
fāng方
dōu都
huái怀
yí疑
duì对
fāng方
huái怀
yǒu有
guǐ鬼
tāi胎
。
Before the negotiations, both sides suspected the other had ulterior motives.
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Tā他
biǎo表
miàn面
dā答
yìng应
de得
hěn很
hǎo好
，
shéi谁
zhī知
dào道
tā他
dù肚
zi子
lǐ里
huái怀
de的
shén什
me么
guǐ鬼
tāi胎
。
He agreed readily on the surface, but who knows what evil schemes he's brewing.
Zhè这
jiā家
huo伙
guǐ鬼
guǐ鬼
suì祟
suì祟
de的
，
wǒ我
kàn看
tā他
shì是
xīn心
huái怀
guǐ鬼
tāi胎
，
méi没
ān安
hǎo好
xīn心
。
This guy is sneaky; I think he has ulterior motives and ill intentions.
Tā他
duì对
zhè这
ge个
tí提
yì议
de的
fǎn反
yìng应
zhè这
me么
jī激
liè烈
，
kě可
néng能
xīn心
lǐ里
huái怀
zhe着
shén什
me么
guǐ鬼
tāi胎
。
His vehement reaction to the proposal might mean he's hiding something.