‘明争暗斗’ literally means 'open contention and covert struggle' — combining 明 (míng, 'open, overt') and 争 (zhēng, 'to contend, compete'), with 暗 (àn, 'hidden, covert') and 斗 (dòu, 'to fight, struggle'). Together, it describes a situation where people or groups engage in both visible rivalry and behind-the-scenes maneuvering, often in politics, business, or office environments. It emphasizes the dual nature of conflict: public posturing alongside secret sabotage or scheming.

This idiom is commonly used to depict power struggles where participants maintain surface civility while actively undermining each other. It carries a slightly negative, critical tone — implying hypocrisy, duplicity, or unhealthy competition. Though not inherently violent, it suggests tension, distrust, and strategic manipulation. The phrase is typically used as a noun or nominal phrase, often as the subject or object of a sentence, and frequently appears in news reports, historical narratives, and workplace discussions.