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背地里

背地裡
bèidìli
adverb #18,912

Meanings

  1. 1 behind someone's back
  2. 2 secretly
  3. 3 in private

Characters

背
bèi
back; behind
地
dì
ground; place
里
li
inside
Literally 'behind the scenes / behind the ground' — doing something where others can't see.

Examples

他背地里说了很多坏话。
Tā bèidìli shuō le hěn duō huàihuà.
He said a lot of bad things behind people's backs.
不要背地里议论别人。
Bú yào bèidìli yìlùn biérén.
Don't talk about others behind their backs.

Tips

usage
背地里 has a negative connotation, implying sneaky or dishonest behavior. Compare with 私下 (sīxià) which is more neutral, meaning 'in private.'

Stroke Order

背 bēi
地 dì
里 lǐ