Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To change one's skin / to shed one's skin: Literally refers to an animal, such as a snake, molting or shedding its outer layer.
   • To disguise oneself / to change one's appearance: Figuratively means to change one's outward identity, demeanor, or role, often to conceal one's true nature or to adapt to a new situation. It implies a significant, often deceptive, transformation in how one presents oneself to the world.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Con rắn đang đổi lốt. (The snake is shedding its skin.)
  • Hắn đổi lốt từ một tên tội phạm thành một doanh nhân lương thiện. (He disguised himself, changing from a criminal into a respectable businessman.)
  • Sau scandal, công ty đó cố gắng đổi lốt với một thương hiệu mới. (After the scandal, that company tried to rebrand itself with a new image.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a negative connotation of deception or hiding one's true, often worse, nature. It is not typically used for positive, genuine self-improvement.
• It can be used in political or social contexts to describe individuals or groups who reinvent their public image.

Variants and Related Words

• Lột xác (verb phrase): to molt; to undergo a radical transformation or rebirth. This can be used more neutrally or positively than "đổi lốt."
  • Công ty ấy đã lột xác hoàn toàn sau khi đổi chủ. (That company completely transformed after the change in ownership.)

Synonyms

• Disguise: to change appearance to conceal identity.
• Masquerade: to pretend to be someone one is not.
• Rebrand: to change the image or perception of something.

Related Idioms

• "Cáo mượn oai hùm" (a fox borrowing the tiger's fierceness): An idiom about borrowing someone else's power or prestige, related to the idea of false appearances.
• "Treo đầu dê, bán thịt chó" (hang a goat's head, sell dog meat): An idiom meaning to engage in false advertising or deception, closely related to the concept of "đổi lốt."