阴谋 (yīn móu) — (verb) to conspire; to plot; (noun) conspiracy;…

Definition

阴谋 (yīnmóu) is a negative, secret scheme — narrower than 谋划 (which can be neutral planning) and more hostile than 策划. Use it for hidden plots to do harm, not neutral storylines (情节).

verb

to conspireto plot

noun

conspiracyplot

Examples

阴谋。
Tā men yīn móu tuī fān xiàn zhèng fǔ.
They conspired to overthrow the current government.
阴谋。
Zhè chǎng yīn móu zuì zhōng bèi cuò bài le.
This conspiracy was ultimately thwarted.
阴谋？
Nǐ xiāng xìn zhè shì yí gè guó jì yīn móu ma?
Do you believe this is an international conspiracy?

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.

阴yīnsecret

谋móuplan

A dark plan from 阴 and 谋 names a secret scheme or conspiracy.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 陰; 阴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阜阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

侌

侌yīn陰yīn

Same sound today

The traditional form 陰 combines 阜, the meaning part, with 侌, the sound part. The simplified 阴 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 阴 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 謀; 谋 is its simplified writing.

言某謀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yán

Sound part声符shēngfú

某

某mǒu謀móu

Same sound today

The traditional form 謀 uses 言 to show it relates to speech and 某 to show its sound; the simplified 谋 is a later shorthand.

Open 谋 →