Definition
暗地里 (àn dì lǐ) means 'secretly, inwardly' — it describes actions done out of public view, often with a neutral or strategic tone. It is less sneaky than 偷偷 (tōu tōu) and less about 'in the dark' than 暗中 (àn zhōng); 私自 (sī zì) adds the nuance of doing something without permission.
noun
(adverbial phrase) secretlyinwardlyon the sly
Examples
- 暗地里。Tā àn dì lǐ zuò le hěn duō zhǔnbèi gōngzuò.He secretly did a lot of preparation work.
- 暗地里。Tā àn dì lǐ guānchá zhe duìshǒu de yì jǔ yí dòng.She secretly observed every move of her opponent.
- 暗地里。Tāmen àn dì lǐ dáchéng le xiéyì.They secretly reached an agreement.
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