Definition

1. Intransitive Verb:
   • To huddle (into a cramped place): To move into and stay in a narrow, tight, or confined space, often for shelter, hiding, or due to lack of space. It implies a sense of being cramped and uncomfortable.
   • To hole up; to hide oneself away: To conceal oneself or stay hidden in a small, secluded place.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:
  • Cả gia đình chui rúc trong túp lều. (The whole family huddled into the small hut.)
  • Nó chỉ thích chui rúc trong phòng. (He/She only likes to hole up in his/her room.)
  • Con mèo chui rúc dưới gầm giường. (The cat huddled under the bed.)

Advanced Usage

• "chui rúc một chỗ": To stay holed up in one place, often implying inactivity or reluctance to go out.

  • Suốt ngày anh ta chỉ chui rúc một chỗ. (All day long, he just holes up in one place.)

• "chui rúc trong góc": To huddle in a corner, often suggesting isolation, fear, or shyness.

  • Đứa trẻ nhút nhát chui rúc trong góc. (The shy child huddled in the corner.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chui (verb): To crawl into, to go into (a low or narrow space). Often used as a component in compound verbs.

  • Chui vào hang (To crawl into a cave)

• Rúc (verb): To tuck oneself in, to curl up. Often used as a component in compound verbs.

  • Rúc vào lòng mẹ (To curl up in mother's lap)

• Thu mình (verb phrase): To shrink back, to make oneself small. Shares the connotation of withdrawing into a confined space, often due to cold or fear.

• Ẩn náu (verb): To take refuge, to hide. Shares the meaning of hiding away but in a more general sense, not necessarily in a cramped space.

Synonyms

• Co cụm: To curl up, to huddle (emphasizing the physical curling into a ball).
• Trốn tránh: To hide, to evade (emphasizing the purpose of avoidance).

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Chui rúc trong nhà: To hole up/stay cooped up at home.

  • Mùa đông, nhiều người chỉ thích chui rúc trong nhà. (In winter, many people just like to stay cooped up at home.)

• Chui rúc trong chăn: To burrow under the blanket.

  • Trời lạnh quá, cậu ấy chui rúc trong chăn cả ngày. (It's so cold, he burrowed under the blanket all day.)

Related Idioms

• Chui rúc như chuột: To live/lurk like a rat. This idiom vividly describes living in a very cramped, dark, and poor condition.
  • Gia đình nghèo ấy phải chui rúc như chuột trong căn phòng tồi tàn. (That poor family had to live like rats in a shabby room.)

1. To huddle (into a cramped place)
   • cả gia đình chui rúc trong túp lều
     the whole family huddled into the small hut