lòn
Definition
Verb:
- To slip through / to thread through: To move or pass through a narrow or confined space.
- To grovel / to act obsequiously: To behave in an excessively humble or servile manner to gain favor.
Adjective (dialectal):
- Non-glutinous (rice): Describes certain varieties of rice that are not sticky when cooked.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- Con mèo lòn qua khe cửa. (The cat slipped through the door crack.)
- Hắn chỉ biết lòn cúi trước cấp trên. (He only knows how to grovel before his superiors.)
Adjective:
- Ở đây họ trồng giống lúa lòn. (Here they grow a variety of non-glutinous rice.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb form is often used to describe a sneaky or ingratiating manner of movement or behavior, implying a lack of dignity.
Variants and Related Words
Luồn lách (v): to weave or snake through (often through crowds or obstacles).
- Người đưa thư luồn lách qua dòng xe cộ. (The mail carrier weaved through the traffic.)
Khúm núm (v): to cringe, to bow obsequiously. This is a close synonym for the behavioral sense of "lòn".
- Anh ta khúm núm chào ông chủ. (He cringingly greeted the boss.)
Synonyms
- Slip through: to pass through a narrow opening.
- Grovel: to act in a servile manner.
- Non-sticky rice: a type of rice (for the dialectal adjective form).
Related Idioms
- Chịu lòn chịu lụy: to endure humiliation and servitude.
- Để nuôi con, bà ấy phải chịu lòn chịu lụy. (To raise her children, she had to endure humiliation and servitude.)