the small group of people who have a lot of power in an organization, or who control it 核心集团 He maintained influence in the inner circle of the president's political advisers. 他在总统政治顾问的核心集团中保持着影响力。 He's joined the inner circles of the court early in his career. 他在职业生涯的初期就加入了法院的核心圈子。