Definition

Verb: 1. To cover (with a lid or similar object): To place something over the top of a container or opening to close it, typically to protect the contents or keep them clean. 2. To conceal, to cover up: To hide something or keep it secret, preventing others from knowing about it.

Usage Examples

• To cover:
  • Hãy đậy nắp nồi lại khi nấu. (Please cover the pot when cooking.)
  • Nhớ đậy lọ đường để kiến không vào được. (Remember to cover the sugar jar so ants can't get in.)
• To conceal:
  • Họ cố gắng đậy chuyện xấu đó lại. (They tried to cover up that bad incident.)
  • Sự thật không thể bị đậy mãi được. (The truth cannot be concealed forever.)

Advanced Usage

• "đậy điệm": To cover for someone, to take the blame or responsibility in someone else's place (now considered archaic or regional).
  • Anh ta phải đậy điệm cho người em. (He had to cover for his younger brother.)

Variants and Related Words

• Che đậy (verb): To cover up, to conceal (often with a negative connotation of hiding the truth).
  • Không thể che đậy sự thật. (The truth cannot be covered up.)
• Đậy nắp (verb phrase): To put a lid on something.
  • Đậy nắp chai lại. (Put the cap back on the bottle.)

Synonyms

• Che (verb): To cover, to shield.
• Phủ (verb): To cover, to overlay.
• Giấu (verb): To hide, to conceal (focuses more on the act of hiding than physically covering).

Related Phrases

• Đậy lại (phrasal verb): To cover something back up.
  • Sau khi lấy muối, bạn nên đậy lại. (After taking some salt, you should cover it back up.)
• Đậy kín (phrasal verb): To cover tightly/seal.
  • Đậy kín hộp thức ăn thừa. (Seal the leftover food container tightly.)

Related Idioms

• Tốt phô ra, xấu xa đậy lại: Literally "Good things should be displayed, bad things should be covered up." This proverb advises to show one's merits but hide one's faults or shameful acts.
  • Theo câu "tốt phô ra, xấu xa đậy lại", anh ấy không muốn ai biết về sai lầm của mình. (Following the saying "good things should be displayed, bad things should be covered up," he doesn't want anyone to know about his mistake.)

verb

1. to cover ; to shut down