暗箱操作

covert activities (election rigging etc) / under-the-table manipulations / black operations

worker / workshop / (slang) troublesome / high-maintenance (person)

to do; to engage in / to write; to compose / to pretend; to feign / to regard as; to consider to be / to be; to act the part of / to feel (itchy, nauseous etc) / writings; works

old variant of 操[cao1]

to grasp / to hold / to operate / to manage / to control / to steer / to exercise / to drill (practice) / to play / to speak (a language)

variant of 肏[cao4]

box / trunk / chest

variant of 暗[an4]

dark / gloomy / hidden / secret / muddled / obscure / in the dark

to close (a door) / to eclipse / muddled / stupid / ignorant / variant of 暗[an4]

to work / to operate / to manipulate

camera bellows / camera obscura