lẩn mình
Definition
- Verb (reflexive):
- To hide oneself; to conceal oneself: The primary meaning of "lẩn mình" is to deliberately place oneself out of sight, often to avoid detection or to blend into the surroundings.
- To immerse oneself; to lose oneself (figurative): In a more abstract sense, it can mean to become deeply absorbed or lost within something, such as a crowd, an environment, or an activity.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Con thỏ lẩn mình trong bụi cây. (The rabbit hides itself in the bushes.)
- Anh ấy lẩn mình trong đám đông để không bị nhận ra. (He concealed himself in the crowd to avoid being recognized.)
- Cô ấy thích lẩn mình trong những cuốn sách. (She likes to lose herself in books.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb is inherently reflexive, with "mình" (oneself) being an integral part of the phrase. It emphasizes a self-directed action of hiding or immersing.
- It often carries a nuance of intentional, active concealment or absorption, rather than a passive state.
Variants and Related Words
- Lẩn trốn (v): to hide or flee to escape. This emphasizes evasion from pursuit.
- Tên tội phạm đang lẩn trốn khỏi cảnh sát. (The criminal is hiding from the police.)
- Ẩn mình (v): to seclude oneself; to live in hiding. This often implies a more permanent or reclusive state.
- Vị ẩn sĩ ẩn mình trong núi. (The hermit secluded himself in the mountains.)
Synonyms
- To hide (oneself)
- To conceal (oneself)
- To take cover
- To blend in
Related Idioms
- Lẩn mình như rùa rụt cổ: To hide oneself like a turtle retracting its head. This idiom vividly describes someone withdrawing or hiding completely out of fear or shyness.
- Đứa bé nhút nhát, cứ thấy người lạ là lẩn mình như rùa rụt cổ. (The shy child, upon seeing a stranger, hides away like a turtle retracting its head.)