Meaning:

    “猫” means “cat,” and “腻” means “dirt, filth.” Originating in Beijing dialect, the term refers to underhanded means or deals. Cats are not high up in the food chain in the animal world. Therefore, they have the habit of covering up their feces with sand and dirt so that predators will not be able to trace them. The Chinese term borrows from this idea, meaning that people will have to cover things up when they’ve done something underhandedly.

    Example:

    A: 小丽结婚不摆酒了，你听说没？

    Xiǎolì jiéhūn bù bǎijǐu le, nǐ tīngshuō méi?

    Xiaoli will not throw a wedding banquet. Have you heard?

    B: 听说了，她老爸是局长，怕别人送礼金引人注目。

    Tīngshuō le, tā lǎobà shì júzhǎng, pà biérén sòng lǐjīn yǐnrén zhùmù。

    Yeah. Her dad is the chief of a certain bureau, who does not want to be exposed for taking gift money.

    A: 真不送礼了吗？

    Zhēn bù sònglǐ le ma?

    So they will not receive any gift money at all?

    B: 猫腻多的很。现在直接送了大红包再领回一个百元的答谢红包算饭钱。

    Māonì duō de hěn。Xiànzài zhíjiē sòng le dà hóngbāo zài lǐnghuí yīgè bǎiyuán de dáxiè hóngbāo suàn fàn qián。

    There are many secret ways of going about it. Gift givers will receive a 100-yuan thank-you lucky money to buy their own meal after giving out a big sum.