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幕后 (mù hòu) — behind the scenes; backstage (often used attributively with 的)

Definition

幕后 means 'behind the scenes' — used for hidden work, decisions, or people not visible to the public (e.g. 幕后团队). Unlike 后台 it isn't a physical backstage or tech term; unlike 内幕 it isn't scandalous insider info.

noun
behind the scenesbackstage (often used attributively with 的)

Examples

  • 幕后。
    Xǔ duō zhòng yào de jué dìng dōu shì mù hòu zuò chū de.
    Many important decisions are made behind the scenes.
  • 幕后，。
    Tā zài mù hòu gōng zuò le hěn duō nián, cóng bù chū fēng tou.
    He worked behind the scenes for many years, never seeking the spotlight.
  • 幕后。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng de mù hòu tuán duì fēi cháng zhuān yè.
    The behind-the-scenes team of this movie is very professional.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

幕mùcurtain
后hòubehind

幕 (curtain) and 后 (behind) combine to mean the area behind the curtain.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò幕mù
Same sound today

幕 combines 莫 above 巾 (cloth); 莫 gives the sound.

Open 幕 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Film & Theater5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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