English–Chinese
“have ulterior motives” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinbié yǒu yòng xīn
Example
她笑得很甜，但我觉得她别有用心。tā xiào de hěn tián dàn wǒ jué de tā bié yǒu yòng xīn
She smiles sweetly, but I think she has ulterior motives.
How to say “have ulterior motives” in Chinese
“Have ulterior motives” in Chinese is 别有用心 (bié yǒu yòng xīn).
A visible action has a second purpose working quietly behind it.
Example sentences with 别有用心
这个活动看似公益，背后可能别有用心。zhè ge huó dòng kàn sì gōng yì bèi hòu kě néng bié yǒu yòng xīn
This activity looks like a public-service event, but there may be ulterior motives behind it.
Tips for using 别有用心
- In everyday conversation, this phrase usually signals distrust, so applying it to a person's kindness or offer can sound like a serious accusation rather than a casual observation.