behind closed doors

Meaning: In private or in secret.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “The real decisions were made behind closed doors.”

Category: Daily Life

Origin: The image is of a meeting in a room with the doors shut to the public. The phrase is common from the 19th century.

Equivalents in other languages

the judgment of Solomon — A wise decision that cleverly settles a difficult dispute.
six of one, half a dozen of the other — Two options are essentially the same.
to the letter — Exactly and precisely, following every detail.
get the boot — To be dismissed from a job or thrown out.
don't wash your dirty linen in public — Keep private problems and quarrels private.
not the sharpest tool in the shed — Not very intelligent.

a low blow — An unfair or cruel attack.
it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye — Rough play may seem harmless but can end in injury.
a dab hand — Someone very skilled at something.
can't see the forest for the trees — Too focused on details to understand the whole situation.
the honeymoon period — The early, happy stage of a new relationship or arrangement, before problems appear.
for donkey's years — For a very long time.

Ikigai — The thing that makes you want to get out of bed — the intersection of what you love, what…
Ma — The meaningful negative space between things — a deliberate pause in music, an empty room…
Natsukashii — A warm, nostalgic rush triggered by something from the past — a smell, a song, a sight. N…