暗あん々あん裏り

あ

ん

あ

ん

り

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Often used adverbially as 暗々裏に to mean something is done in secret, behind the scenes, or without being openly acknowledged. Slightly literary or formal in tone.

彼かれらは暗あん々あん裏りに計けい画かくを進すすめていた。
They were advancing the plan secretly.
その決けっ定ていは暗あん々あん裏りに行おこなわれた。
The decision was made covertly.

Kanji

暗darkness, disappear, shade
裏back, amidst, in
裡reverse, inside, palm

Related words

密ひそかに
密かに is a more common and neutral word for 'secretly', while 暗々裏 is more literary and emphasizes a hidden, unspoken aspect.
内々ないないに
内々に means 'privately' or 'internally', often within a group, whereas 暗々裏 implies a more covert or tacit action.

Built from

暗あん暗あん+裏り

Written forms

暗あん々あん裏り
Standard kanji spelling using 暗々裏.
暗あん々あん裡り
Variant with 裡 instead of 裏; both are used.
暗あん暗あん裏り
Non-repetition kanji variant; less common but valid.
暗あん暗あん裡り
Non-repetition kanji variant with 裡.

Etymology

Compound of 暗々 (reduplication of 暗 'dark') and 裏 'back, behind', literally 'in the dark behind'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from its components.