腹が黒い
はらがくろい
scheming; black-hearted
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
あの男は腹が黒い。
あのおとこははらがくろい。
That man is scheming.
笑顔の裏で何を考えているか分からない、腹が黒い人だ。
えがおのうらでなにをかんがえているかわからない、はらがくろいひとだ。
You never know what he's thinking behind that smile — he's a devious person.
腹が黒い相手とは組まないほうがいい。
はらがくろいあいてとはくまないほうがいい。
You shouldn't team up with someone that calculating.
Common patterns
- 腹の黒い人
- a scheming person
- 腹黒い政治家
- a devious politician
- 見かけによらず腹が黒い
- more calculating than he looks
Memory tip
The one-word adjective 腹黒い is far more common in writing; 腹が黒い is the same thing spelled out. It describes hidden bad intentions behind a pleasant front, not open rudeness.
Kanji in this word
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What does 腹が黒い mean?