心怀叵测 — “To harbor evil intentions”
心怀叵测 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to harbor evil intentions”. To have ulterior motives; to be ill-intentioned and unpredictable. Literally, “Mind harboring unfathomable motives”.
心怀叵测 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 心xīn
- 怀huái
- 叵pǒ
- 测cè
心怀叵测 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 心怀叵测
Origin and Story of 心怀叵测
During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao was preparing to lead his army south to attack Sun Quan and Liu Bei. Fearing that Ma Teng, the Governor of Liangzhou, might seize the opportunity to cause trouble, he adopted the advice of his strategist Xun You.
Cao Cao deceitfully appointed Ma Teng as the General Who Conquers the South and tricked him into coming to Xuchang, intending to assassinate him there.
Ma Teng did not believe his nephew Ma Dai, who warned him that Cao Cao was a man harboring evil intentions (心怀叵测). Thus, Ma Teng went to Xuchang with his son Ma Xiu, where he was subsequently killed by Cao Cao.
Idioms Related to 心怀叵测
Synonyms of 心怀叵测
Antonyms of 心怀叵测
More idioms starting with 心
- xīn心shàng上xīn心xià下feeling uneasy and agitated
- xīn心bù不liǎng两yòng用Cannot focus on two things at once
- xīn心bù不zài在yān焉absent-minded or not paying attention
- xīn心bù不yīng应kǒu口to say one thing but mean another
- xīn心bù不yóu由zhǔ主lose self-control due to strong emotions
- xīn心bù不yóu由jǐ己against one's will
- xīn心bù不yóu由yì意act against one's true intention
- xīn心bù不fù负rén人，，miàn面wú无cán惭sè色clear conscience, unashamed look
- xīn心zhōng中wú无shù数to be uncertain
- xīn心zhōng中yǒu有shù数know what's what
- xīn心zhōng中méi没dǐ底feel uncertain or lack confidence
- xīn心wèi为xíng形yì役Mind enslaved by worldly concerns
Questions about 心怀叵测
- What does 心怀叵测 mean?
- 心怀叵测 (xīn huái pǒ cè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to harbor evil intentions”.
- How do you pronounce 心怀叵测?
- 心怀叵测 is pronounced xīn huái pǒ cè in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 心怀叵测 literally mean?
- Literally, 心怀叵测 means “Mind harboring unfathomable motives”. It is used to mean “to harbor evil intentions”.
- Where does 心怀叵测 come from?
- 心怀叵测 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 心怀叵测?
- 心怀：民心，存心；叵：不可。指存心险恶，不可推测。