The word 暗中 (ànzhōng) is a compound formed by combining two characters: 暗 (àn), meaning "dark", "hidden", or "secret", and 中 (zhōng), meaning "middle", "within", or "inside". Together, they create a metaphorical spatial concept meaning "in the dark", "in secret", or "behind the scenes". The formation follows a common modifier-noun structure in Chinese, where 中 acts as the locative noun (the "within") and 暗 describes the nature of that space (a hidden or unseen one), thus semantically denoting actions or circumstances that occur out of sight or without public knowledge.