To injure others by underhanded or deceitful means; to attack or frame someone behind their back.

literally meaning spears in the open and arrows in the dark; refers to both open and hidden attacks, usually used to describe malicious tactics in a competition or conflict

It is difficult to defend against hidden attacks or underhanded schemes. This idiom is often used alongside [[明枪易躲|明槍易躲|ming2 qiang1 yi4 duo3]].

To harm or frame someone secretly; to spread rumors or slander behind someone's back.

literally meaning it is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to avoid an arrow in the dark; used to say that overt attacks are easier to handle than secret plots or betrayal from behind one's own side

(idiom) easy to dodge a spear in the open but hard to avoid an arrow in the dark; it is easier to defend against an open attack than a hidden plot