“走后门”字面意思是“enter by the back door”，比喻不是通过正当途径，而是通过内部关系谋取通融或利益（secure advantages through pull or influence），带有贬义。
“开后门（open a back door），则比喻当权者以权谋私，滥用职权为他人提供方便（abuse one's powers to secure advantages for others）。
- 她找工作走后门。
Someone is pulling strings to get a job for her. - 这些年买名烟名酒用不着走后门了。
These years back-door dealings are not needed to buy cigarettes and wines of brand names. - 他能走后门是因为他父亲是局长。
His father is the head of a bureau, so he got in through the back door.
