Definition

Verb (colloquial): - To hush up; to cover up; to suppress: To deliberately conceal information, an event, or a scandal to prevent it from becoming publicly known. It implies an active effort to keep something quiet and hidden. - To smother; to stifle: To suppress or extinguish something, such as news, a story, or a problem, so that it receives no attention or discussion.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Vụ bê bối đó đã bị công ty ém nhẹm. (That scandal was hushed up by the company.)
  • Họ cố gắng ém nhẹm tin tức về vụ tai nạn. (They tried to smother the news about the accident.)
  • Sự thật không thể bị ém nhẹm mãi mãi. (The truth cannot be covered up forever.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "ém nhẹm" carries a strong connotation of secrecy, often involving authority, power, or a concerted effort by a group or organization to conceal wrongdoing or embarrassing facts. It is frequently used in contexts of politics, business, or media.

Variants and Related Words

• Ém (verb): To suppress, to muffle. Often used in combination (like ) for emphasis.
  • ém tin (to suppress news)
• Che giấu (verb): To hide, to conceal. A more general synonym.
• Bưng bít (verb): To cover up, to seal off (information). Similar to but can imply a more comprehensive blackout.

Synonyms

• To cover up
• To suppress
• To conceal
• To keep under wraps

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Xuôi chèo mát mái (smooth sailing): This idiom describes a situation where things are going smoothly, often in contrast to a situation that required something to be to achieve that calm.
  • Sau khi mọi chuyện được ém nhẹm, mọi thứ lại xuôi chèo mát mái. (After everything was hushed up, things returned to smooth sailing.)

verb

1. to hush up; to smother up