Correct

埋伏笔

/ mái fú bǐ /
Strokes
https://i.cchatty2.com/filters:format(webp)/fit-in/684x0/img/202102/埋伏笔-Chinese-idioms-Cchatty-ff82f082-3eb8-42d0-909e-74e9237921e2-1612776793.jpg

Collocation

1
埋下失败的伏笔
2
埋下(了)伏笔
3
为某事埋伏笔

Definition

埋伏笔

Literally means:

hide a hint in a story

Actually means:

set a foreshadowing in an assay

埋伏, hint foreshadowing later contents or plots in an essay or a story.

This phrase figuratively means pre-designing a plan or for future development or bearing a negative effect on the consequence.

埋伏,内容、情节等预先设下的线索或暗示。

为后来的发展变化作出某种安排或留下不利因素。

Example

Used as predicate, it can have other words in between. (作谓语,中间可插入别的词语)
1
Biǎomiàn
表面
shàng
kàn
zhè
zuò
qiáo
de
tān
坍塌
shì
ǒurán
偶然
de
  
,
dàn
shíshàng
实际上
  
,
zhè
zuò
qiáo
chíchí
迟迟
méiyǒu
没有
xiūhǎo
修好
jīng
已经
wéi
hòulái
后来
de
shì
事故
mái
xià
le
伏笔
  

On the face of it, the collapse of the bridge was accidental, but in fact, the delay in repairing the bridge had set the scene for the subsequent accident.

2
Zhuān
专业
rénshì
人士
rènwéi
认为
  
,
zuìjìn
最近
zhōngyāng
中央
cáizhèng
财政
jīnróng
金融
gāoguān
高官
de
huànbān
换班
  
,
jiāng
wéi
xià
lún
de
jīnróng
金融
gǎi
改革
mái
埋伏
  

Professionals believe that the recent shift of senior financial officials in central finance will lay the ground ground for the next round of financial reform.

3
àiqíng
爱情
dāngr
  
儿戏
de
rén
rán
必然
zài
hòu
日后
de
hūnyīn
婚姻
dào
道路
shàng
  
,
mái
xià
shībài
失败
de
伏笔
  

The person who plays love must bury the failed pen on the road of marriage in the future.