别有用心 (bié yǒu yòng xīn) — to have an ulterior motive; to have a hidden agenda
Definition
A formal idiom: someone 别有用心 is acting with a hidden, selfish purpose — what they say hides a real agenda. Used to flag suspicious motives, never for everyday small disagreements.
idiom
to have an ulterior motiveto have a hidden agenda
Examples
- ，别有用心。Tā zhè me shuō, jué duì shì bié yǒu yòng xīn.He is definitely saying this with an ulterior motive.
- 别有用心，。Nà ge jiàn yì míng xiǎn bié yǒu yòng xīn, bù néng jiē shòu.That suggestion clearly has an ulterior motive — we can't accept it.
- 别有用心，。Tā zhè ge rén bié yǒu yòng xīn, zǒng shì tú móu bù guǐ.He is a person with ulterior motives, always plotting something.
Appears in
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