Proverb / Kotowaza
腹に一物
To harbor a hidden agenda or secret scheme in one's heart.
To have one thing in one's stomach
Quick Answer
To harbor a hidden agenda or secret scheme in one's heart.
- Literal Image
- To have one thing in one's stomach
- How to Use It
- Used when describing someone who seems suspicious or likely to have a hidden motive behind their actions or words. It appears in contexts involving negotiations, politics, or social interactions where people are not being entirely transparent.
Meaning
This expression describes a state where someone conceals a plan, motive, or specific thought from others. While they may appear friendly or neutral on the outside, they are internally holding onto a separate intention that remains unsaid.
Literal Image
To have one thing in one's stomach
How to Use It
Used when describing someone who seems suspicious or likely to have a hidden motive behind their actions or words. It appears in contexts involving negotiations, politics, or social interactions where people are not being entirely transparent.
Tone
critical or cautionary, as it implies a lack of transparency or potential deception.
Examples
にこやかに笑っているが、彼は腹に一物ありそうな顔をしている。
He is smiling pleasantly, but he has a look that suggests he has something up his sleeve.
今回の提案には、何か腹に一物あるのではないかと疑ってしまう。
I find myself suspecting that there might be some hidden agenda behind this proposal.
腹に一物ある人間同士の、腹の探り合いが続いている。
Those with hidden motives continue to probe each other's true intentions.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses simple kanji for 'stomach' and 'one thing,' but the semantic shift of 'one thing' to 'hidden scheme' requires idiomatic knowledge.
腹
はら / hara
stomach; heart; true intentions
一物
いちもつ / ichimotsu
one thing; a hidden scheme
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is a critical term and should not be used to describe someone you wish to compliment.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'ichimotsu' as a physical object; it specifically refers to a mental scheme or hidden thought.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
The term 'ichimotsu' (one thing) literally refers to a single object, but has come to signify a hidden scheme or ulterior motive. The expression is derived from the image of concealing such a scheme within one's stomach, which is traditionally viewed as the seat of true thoughts in Japanese culture.
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