Chinese word

后门

Pronunciation

Pinyinhòu mén

Meaning

  • nounback door

Example

你可以从后门进来。nǐ ké yǐ cóng hòu mén jìn lái

You can come in through the back door.

Illustration for 后门 (back door)

More examples

出门时记得把后门锁上。chū mén shí jì de bǎ hòu mén suǒ shàng

Remember to lock the back door when you leave.

Core concept

A tucked-away entrance serves as a model for access that avoids the main, visible route, whether the route is part of a building or a system.

Common phrases

  • 锁好后门suó hǎo hòu mén

    lock the back door

  • 打开后门dǎ kāi hòu mén

    open the back door

  • 院子里的后门yuàn zi lǐ de hòu mén

    the back door in the yard

Similar words

正门zhèng mén: The main door at the front of a building or grounds.
入口rù kǒu: A place or passage used to enter a building or area.
门口mén kǒu: The area by a door or entrance, where people enter and leave.
侧门cè mén: A smaller door on the side of a building.

Definition in Chinese

指建筑物背后或侧面不显眼的门，也常用来比喻秘密的、通过关系或不公开途径获得的渠道或方法。zhǐ jiàn zhù wù bèi hòu huò cè miàn bù xián yǎn de mén yě cháng yòng lái bǐ yù mì mì de tōng guò guān xì huò bù gōng kāi tú jìng huò dé de qú dào huò fāng fǎ

Word origin

The parts 后 (hòu, "behind") and 门 (mén, "door") describe a back entrance, which provides the image for access arranged away from the usual open route.

Usage tips

  • When the word describes a method rather than architecture, it can sound critical because it suggests bypassing an open process, so it is stronger than a neutral word for an alternative route.

Other meanings

  • back gatenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 后门儿hòu ménrback doornoun
  • 后门交易hòu mén jiāo yìunder-the-table dealnoun

Word lists with this word