Definition
探头探脑 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) that describes someone peeking or looking around in a furtive, stealthy manner — literally "stretching one's head and poking one's brain." It carries a negative connotation of acting sneaky or suspicious, as if trying to spy or check something without being noticed. You'll hear it used to criticize someone's nosy or evasive behavior.
f.e.
to pop one's head in and look about furtivelyto act stealthily or sneakily
Examples
- 探头探脑，。Nà ge rén zài ménkǒu tàn tóu tàn nǎo de, yí kàn jiù bú shì hǎorén.That person was peeking around the door furtively — clearly not a good person.
- 探头探脑，。Tā tàn tóu tàn nǎo de zǒu jìn fángjiān, shēngpà bèi rén fāxiàn.He crept into the room stealthily, afraid of being discovered.
- 探头探脑，。Bǎo'ān kàn dào yǒu rén zài cāngkù wàimiàn tàn tóu tàn nǎo, lìkè bào le jǐng.The security guard saw someone snooping around outside the warehouse and immediately called the police.
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