bit6 jau5 jung6 sam1別有用心别有用心
Jyutpingbit6 jau5 jung6 sam1
Yalebiht yáuh yuhng sām
Definition
Having an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda in one's words or actions.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation, implying that someone is acting with deceit or malice rather than just having a secret. It is frequently used to cast doubt on the sincerity of someone's sudden kindness or unexpected generosity. While it functions as an idiom, it is grammatically flexible and often follows the copula 係 to describe a person's underlying intent.
Examples
He is suddenly being so nice to me; he must have an ulterior motive.
Do you think there is a hidden agenda behind what he said?
Related words
Common phrases
the motive is ulterior
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is simply keeping a surprise or a secret. It specifically implies that the person is manipulating a situation to gain an advantage or cause harm to others.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
