Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To go out at night: To leave one's house or usual location during the nighttime hours, often implying a secretive or socially questionable activity.
   • To engage in clandestine dealings: To conduct secretive or covert activities, often of an illicit or unethical nature, such as collusion or betrayal.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Anh ấy thường xuyên đi đêm. (He often goes out at night.)
  • Cảnh sát cảnh báo người dân không nên đi đêm một mình. (The police warn people not to go out alone at night.)
  • Hai công ty đó bị nghi ngờ đi đêm với nhau để thao túng giá. (Those two companies are suspected of engaging in clandestine dealings to manipulate prices.)

Advanced Usage

• "đi đêm với": to collude or conspire with someone secretly.
  • Không thể chấp nhận việc một quan chức đi đêm với doanh nghiệp. (It is unacceptable for an official to collude secretly with a business.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đi chơi đêm: (verb phrase) to go out for nightlife/entertainment. This is a more neutral term for going out at night for fun.
  • Giới trẻ Sài Gòn thích đi chơi đêm. (Saigon's youth like to go out at night.)

Synonyms

• Ra ngoài ban đêm: (verb phrase) to go out at night. A more literal and neutral synonym.
• Thông đồng: (verb) to collude, to conspire. A synonym for the clandestine meaning.

Related Idioms

• "Đi đêm có ngày gặp ma": Literally, "He who goes out at night will one day meet a ghost." This idiom means that if you persistently engage in risky, secretive, or immoral activities, you will eventually face negative consequences or get caught.
  • Hắn ta cứ tiếp tục những vụ làm ăn mờ ám, đi đêm có ngày gặp ma thôi. (He keeps doing shady business deals; he who walks at night will meet ghosts one day.)

1. Go out of one's house at night
   • Anh chàng ấy hay đi đêm
     That lad often goes out of his house at night