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暗箭 (àn jiàn) — hidden arrow; covert attack, behind-the-scenes intrigue (often personal or political)

Definition

A 'hidden arrow' — a covert, often personal or political attack done from behind the scenes. Almost always appears in the set phrase 暗箭伤人 / 放暗箭, and contrasts with 光明正大 ('open and aboveboard').

noun
hidden arrowcovert attackbehind-the-scenes intrigue (often personal or political)
Measure word · 支

Examples

  • 暗箭，。
    Tā zài gōng sī lǐ lǚ zāo àn jiàn, què shǐ zhōng zhǎo bú dào shì shuí zài bèi hòu dǎo guǐ.
    He repeatedly suffered underhanded attacks at the company but never found out who was manipulating behind the scenes.
  • 暗箭，。
    Zhè cì xuǎn jǔ zhōng shuāng fāng dōu shǐ yòng le àn jiàn, hù xiāng mǒ hēi.
    Both sides used underhanded attacks in this election, smearing each other.
  • 暗箭。
    Guāng míng zhèng dà de rén bú xiè yú fàng àn jiàn.
    An upright person scorns to launch covert attacks.

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.

暗ànhidden
箭jiànarrow

暗 means hidden and 箭 means arrow, together naming a covert attack.

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
前
前qián箭jiàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 竹 part points to bamboo, the material of arrows; the 前 part gives the sound.

Open 箭 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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