居心不良 jū xīn bù liáng ulterior motives

Explanation

指存心不良，心怀恶意或阴谋。

Refers to someone who has bad intentions and is up to no good.

Origin Story

从前，在一个偏僻的小村庄里，住着一位名叫阿强的年轻人。他表面上和蔼可亲，但暗地里却总是耍一些小聪明，甚至不惜利用他人来达到自己的目的。有一次村里要选村长，阿强表面上积极参与竞选，但私下里却散布谣言，诋毁其他候选人，企图通过不正当手段赢得选举。他的所作所为最终被村民识破，大家对他厌恶至极，将他逐出了村子。阿强因为居心不良，最终失去了村民的信任和支持，也失去了在村庄安居乐业的机会。这个故事告诉我们，为人处世要光明磊落，不能耍心机，否则最终只会自食其果。

cóngqián, zài yīgè piānpì de xiǎocūn zhuāng lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào ā qiáng de nián qīng rén. tā biǎomiàn shàng hé'ǎi kě qīn, dàn àn dì lǐ què zǒng shì shuǎ yīxiē xiǎo cōngming, shènzhì bù xī lìyòng tārén lái dádào zìjǐ de mùdì. yǒu yī cì cūn lǐ yào xuǎn cūn zhǎng, ā qiáng biǎomiàn shàng jījí cānyù jìng xuǎn, dàn sī xià lǐ què sàn bù yáoyán, dǐhuǐ qítā hòuxuǎn rén, qǐtú tōngguò bù zhèngdàng shǒuduàn yíngdé xuǎnjǔ. tā de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi zuìzhōng bèi cūnmín shí pò, dàjiā duì tā yànwù zhì jí, jiāng tā zhú chū le cūn zi. ā qiáng yīnwèi jū xīn bù liáng, zuìzhōng shīqù le cūnmín de xìnrèn hé zhīchí, yě shīqù le zài cūn zhuāng ān jū lè yè de jīhuì. zhège gùshì gàosù wǒmen, wéirén chǔshì yào guāngmíng lěiluò, bù néng shuǎ xīnjī, fǒuzé zuìzhōng zhǐ huì zìshí qí guǒ.

Once upon a time, in a remote village, lived a young man named Ah Qiang. He appeared amiable but secretly played clever tricks, even using others to achieve his goals. Once, when the village was electing a village chief, Ah Qiang outwardly participated actively, but secretly spread rumors to slander other candidates, trying to win through unfair means. His actions were eventually discovered, and the villagers expelled him. Ah Qiang lost the trust and support of the villagers because of his ulterior motives, and also lost the chance to live peacefully in the village. This story teaches us to be upright and not play tricks; otherwise, one will only reap what one sows.

Usage

作谓语、定语；指心怀恶意，图谋不轨。

zuò wèiyǔ, dìngyǔ; zhǐ xīn huái èyì, túmóu bùguǐ

Used as predicate and attributive; refers to someone who has malicious intentions and plots something wrong.

Examples

• 他居心不良，故意挑拨离间。

  tā jū xīn bù liáng, gùyì tiǎobō líjiàn.

  He has ulterior motives and deliberately stirs up discord.

• 这件事背后一定有人居心不良，故意陷害他。

  zhè jiàn shì qíng bèihòu yīdìng yǒu rén jū xīn bù liáng, gùyì xiàn hài tā

  Someone must have ulterior motives behind this, deliberately framing him.

Related Idioms

• 存心不良

• 居心叵测

• 别有用心

Opposite Idioms

• 心地善良

• 心怀善意