lẹm
Definition
- Verb:
- To encroach upon / to infringe upon: To gradually take over or intrude into a space, right, or property that belongs to another.
- To embezzle / to misappropriate (money): To take money, especially funds one is entrusted with, for one's own use in a gradual or deceitful manner.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Hàng xóm mới xây tường lẹm sang đất nhà tôi. (The new neighbor built a wall encroaching on my land.)
- Người quản lý bị cáo buộc lẹm tiền của công ty. (The manager was accused of embezzling company money.)
- Anh ta lẹm cả tiền lương của vợ. (He even misappropriated his wife's salary.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb "lẹm" often implies a slow, stealthy, or incremental action of taking something that is not rightfully one's own.
Variants and Related Words
- Lấn lẹm (v): A reinforced form meaning to encroach or usurp persistently.
- Công ty đó lấn lẹm thị phần của các đối thủ. (That company persistently encroached on its competitors' market share.)
Synonyms
- Encroach: To intrude on someone's territory or rights.
- Embezzle: To steal money placed in one's trust.
- Usurp: To take a position or power illegally or by force.
Related Idioms
- Lẹm vốn lẹm lời: To embezzle both the capital and the profit; to misappropriate funds completely.
- Kẻ phản bội lẹm vốn lẹm lời rồi bỏ trốn. (The traitor embezzled all the capital and profits and then fled.)