Definitions

1. Verb:
   • To skin; to strip off (skin, hide, or outer covering): Refers to the act of removing an outer layer, such as skin, bark, or peel, often from an animal or fruit.
   • To rob; to strip (someone of possessions): Means to take something from someone by force or theft, often used in the context of robbery.
   • To shed; to molt (of animals): Describes the natural process where an animal, like a snake, sheds its old skin.
   • To expose; to unmask (figuratively): Used metaphorically to mean revealing the true nature of someone or something, often by stripping away a disguise or false appearance.
   • To capture the essence (of a text, spirit): Means to faithfully reproduce or capture the core meaning or spirit of something, like in translation.

Usage Examples

• To skin/strip off:
  • Lột vỏ quả cam. (To peel an orange.)
  • Lột da con thỏ. (To skin a rabbit.)
• To rob:
  • Bọn cướp lột sạch đồ của nạn nhân. (The robbers stripped the victim of all belongings.)
• To shed/molt:
  • Con rắn đang lột da. (The snake is shedding its skin.)
• To expose/unmask:
  • Lột mặt nạ tên lừa đảo. (To unmask the fraudster.)
• To capture the essence:
  • Bản dịch lột được tinh thần của tác phẩm gốc. (The translation captures the spirit of the original work.)

Advanced Usage

• "lột tả": to depict vividly; to describe in a way that reveals the true nature.
  • Nhà văn lột tả chân thực số phận người nông dân. (The writer vividly depicts the fate of the farmers.)
• "lột xác": to transform completely; to undergo a radical change (like molting).
  • Sau khóa học, anh ấy như lột xác, trở nên tự tin hơn. (After the course, he transformed, becoming more confident.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tróc lột (verb): to peel off; to flake off (often for skin or paint).
  • Da tôi bị tróc lột vì cháy nắng. (My skin is peeling from sunburn.)
• Lột trần (verb): to expose; to lay bare (often a truth or scandal).
  • Bài báo lột trần sự thật về vụ án. (The article exposed the truth about the case.)

Synonyms

• Bóc (verb): to peel; to strip (more general, often for fruits, labels).
• Cướp (verb): to rob; to steal (focus on theft).
• Làm lộ (verb): to reveal; to expose.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Lột đồ (verb phrase): to strip someone of their clothes.
  • Tên cướp đe dọa lột đồ nạn nhân. (The robber threatened to strip the victim.)
• Lột hết (verb phrase): to strip completely; to take everything.
  • Trận bão lột hết lá cây. (The storm stripped all the leaves from the trees.)

Related Idioms

• "Lột mặt nạ": to unmask; to reveal someone's true (often hypocritical) face.
  • Phóng viên quyết tâm lột mặt nạ của chính trị gia tham nhũng. (The reporter is determined to unmask the corrupt politician.)
• "Như lột": (to look) exactly like; a perfect likeness (often in portraiture).
  • Bức chân dung vẽ giống ông ấy như lột. (The portrait looks exactly like him.)

verb

1. to skin; to throw off
   • rắn lột da
     a snake that threw off its skin. to peel; to strip off
   • lột vỏ quả cam
     to peel an orange. to rob