Definition
鬼胎 literally means 'ghost fetus' but is almost always used idiomatically in the fixed expression 心怀鬼胎 (xīn huái guǐ tāi), which means 'to have a guilty conscience' or 'to harbor ulterior motives'. It describes a hidden, malicious intention that someone keeps secret. The literal 'monster' sense exists in folklore but is rare in contemporary Chinese.
n.
ulterior motivesinister design (almost always in 心怀鬼胎)
Examples
- 鬼胎，。Tā xīnhuái guǐ tāi, suǒyǐ shuōhuà shí bùgǎn kàn wǒ de yǎnjīng.He had ulterior motives, so he didn't dare look me in the eye when he spoke.
- ，。Dàjiā dōu juéde zhège rén yǒu guǐ tāi, dàn shéi yě méi zhèngjù.Everyone felt that this person had ulterior motives, but no one had proof.
- 鬼胎，。Nàge shāngrén cáng zhe guǐ tāi, nǐ bìxū xiǎoxīn dīfang.That businessman is hiding ulterior motives; you must be on your guard.
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