to get the lowdown on somebody or something 了解真实情况

英文释义 To get the full story about somebody or something, including facts that may not be public knowledge.

例句
Before moving overseas for a year, I want to talk to a friend who has lived there, and get the lowdown on what it's really like to live there.

我要出国生活一年，走之前我想找已经在国外生活了一年的朋友聊聊，了解在那边生活的真实情况。