1.
instigation, manipulation, pulling strings behind the scenes
Secret manipulation or prompting by someone behind the scenes. Implies that a person's actions were actually directed or instigated by someone else. Almost always used with negative connotations.
これは誰かの差し金だ。
Someone is pulling the strings behind this.
社長の差し金で動いているらしい。
It seems they're acting on the company president's instigation.
あの記事は政治家の差し金で書かれたのではないかと疑われている。
It is suspected that that article was written at the instigation of a politician.
USAGE:
Almost always carries a negative nuance of covert manipulation. The most common pattern is ～の差し金で (at someone's instigation). Originally, 差し金 referred to a carpenter's square or a device used in kabuki to manipulate stage props from offstage, hence the metaphorical meaning of hidden manipulation.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ～の差し金で: at the instigation of ~
- 裏で差し金をする: pull strings behind the scenes
- 差し金だと疑う: suspect instigation