Definition

1. Verb:
   • To hang on to, to follow closely and persistently: "đèo đẽo" describes the action of sticking closely to someone, often in a way that is difficult to shake off, like a child clinging to a parent.
   • To remain glued to, to tail persistently: It implies following someone very closely and continuously, sometimes to the point of being bothersome or overly dependent.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Đứa bé cứ theo mẹ đèo đẽo. (The little child hung on to his mother's apron-strings.)
  • Cô ấy cứ đèo đẽo theo anh ta suốt buổi tiệc. (She kept tailing him persistently throughout the entire party.)
  • Đừng có đèo đẽo theo tôi nữa! (Stop following me around like that!)

Advanced Usage

• "đeo đẳng" vs. "đèo đẽo": While both imply persistence, "đeo đẳng" often refers to a lingering problem, worry, or memory (e.g., a debt, a past love), whereas "đèo đẽo" specifically describes a person physically or closely following another.
  • Món nợ cứ đeo đẳng anh ta. (The debt kept haunting him.) [Not "đèo đẽo"]
  • Đứa trẻ đèo đẽo đằng sau. (The child tagged along closely behind.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đeo bám (verb): To cling to, to stick to. This is a close synonym but can sound slightly more intense or negative than "đèo đẽo".
  • Kẻ tình nghi đeo bám mục tiêu. (The suspect stalked the target.)
• Bám theo (verb): To follow closely, to tail.
  • Bọn trẻ bám theo đoàn diễu hành. (The children tagged along with the parade.)

Synonyms

• Follow closely: Theo sát.
• Tag along: Đi theo, bám theo.
• Hang on to: Bám lấy, níu lấy.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As "đèo đẽo" is a descriptive verb in Vietnamese, it does not combine to form phrasal verbs in the same way English verbs do. Its meaning is contained within the single word.

Related Idioms

• "Theo đuôi": Literally "to follow the tail"; means to follow someone mindlessly or to imitate.
  • Hắn chỉ biết theo đuôi người khác. (He only knows how to follow others mindlessly.)
  • This idiom shares the concept of following but lacks the specific sense of close, clingy physical presence inherent in "đèo đẽo".

1. Hang on to, remain glued to
   • Đứa bé cứ theo mẹ đèo đẽo
     The little child hung on to his mother's apron-strings