Definition

1. Verb:
   • To sneak: To move quietly and stealthily, typically to avoid being seen or heard by others.
   • To slip away/into: To enter, exit, or move somewhere secretly and often quickly.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nó lẻn vào phòng mà không ai hay biết. (He sneaked into the room without anyone knowing.)
  • Cậu bé lẻn ra khỏi nhà lúc nửa đêm. (The boy slipped out of the house at midnight.)
  • Tên trộm lẻn qua cửa sổ. (The thief sneaked through the window.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb "lẻn" inherently implies a purpose of secrecy and is almost always used in contexts involving concealment of one's movement from others. It often carries a nuance of taking advantage of an opportunity or a moment of inattention.

Variants and Related Words

• Lén lút (adj/adverbial): Acting in a secretive, furtive, or stealthy manner.
  • Hành động lén lút của họ bị phát hiện. (Their stealthy action was discovered.)

Synonyms

• To sneak: To move stealthily.
• To creep: To move slowly and carefully, especially to avoid notice.
• To slip: To move quickly and unobtrusively.
• To steal away: To leave secretly.

Related Idioms

• Lẻn như mèo: To sneak like a cat; describing very quiet, stealthy movement.

  • Nó đi lẻn như mèo, chẳng ai nghe thấy tiếng động. (He moved as sneakily as a cat; no one heard a sound.)

• Lẻn đi lẻn lại: To sneak back and forth; to move to and fro furtively.

  • Kẻ đáng ngờ lẻn đi lẻn lại trước cổng. (The suspicious person was sneaking back and forth in front of the gate.)