Definition
暗箱 literally refers to the bellows of a camera or a camera obscura — a lighttight box used in photography. In modern political and business contexts, the word takes on a figurative meaning: an opaque, secretive process. The common compound 暗箱操作 describes underhanded dealings or backroom manipulation, often implying corruption or a lack of transparency.
noun
camera bellowsdark chamber (photography)
n.
(noun, figurative) black boxsecretivenon-transparent operation (often in 暗箱操作)
Examples
- 暗箱。Zhè tái lǎoshì xiàngjī de àn xiāng yǐjīng pòsǔn le.The bellows on this old camera are already damaged.
- 暗箱。Zhè cì xuǎnjǔ bèi zhǐzé yǒu àn xiāng cāozuò.This election was accused of having backroom dealings.
- ，暗箱。Zhèngfǔ yāoqiú gōngkāi zhāobiāo guòchéng, bìmiǎn àn xiāng.The government requires the bidding process to be open, to avoid black-box operations.
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