Definition

1. Verb:
   • To take cover; to hide oneself: To position one's body behind or within something to avoid being seen, to seek concealment.
   • To take shelter; to seek refuge: To place oneself under the protection of something from danger, bad weather, or an undesirable situation.
   • To rely on the protection of a powerful person or entity (figurative): To use someone's authority, influence, or power as a shield for one's own actions or interests.

Usage Examples

• Literal usage (hiding/concealment):

  • Đứa trẻ núp sau cánh cửa. (The child is hiding behind the door.)
  • Con mèo núp dưới gầm giường. (The cat is taking cover under the bed.)

• Literal usage (seeking shelter):

  • Mọi người chạy núp mưa dưới mái hiên. (Everyone ran to take shelter from the rain under the awning.)
  • Chúng tôi phải núp vào một hang động để tránh bão. (We had to take shelter in a cave to avoid the storm.)

• Figurative usage (relying on protection):

  • Hắn ta chỉ biết núp sau lưng cấp trên. (He only knows how to hide behind his superior's back / rely on his superior's protection.)
  • Không thể núp mãi dưới bóng của cha mẹ. (You cannot forever take shelter in your parents' shadow.)

Advanced Usage

• "núp bóng": To live under someone's shadow or protection, often implying a lack of independence.

  • Anh ấy thành công là nhờ núp bóng người cha nổi tiếng. (His success is due to living under the shadow of his famous father.)

• "núp danh" / "núp tên": To act under a false name or alias; to use a pseudonym to conceal one's identity.

  • Kẻ gian thường núp danh người khác để lừa đảo. (Scammers often use other people's names to commit fraud.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ẩn núp (verb): To hide oneself; to go into hiding. (This is a compound word where "núp" is a component. It emphasizes concealment, often for a longer period or with more secrecy.)

  • Tên tội phạm đang ẩn núp ở vùng núi. (The criminal is hiding in the mountainous area.)

• Nấp (verb): A near-synonym meaning to hide or take cover. Often used interchangeably with "núp" in many contexts, though "núp" can more strongly imply seeking shelter from something like rain.

  • Nấp sau bụi cây. (To hide behind a bush.)

Synonyms

• Trốn (verb): To hide, to go into hiding. (Focuses more on the act of escaping or avoiding detection.)
• Ẩn (verb): To conceal, to hide. (More literary, often used in compounds like "ẩn náu" - to take refuge.)
• Trú (verb): To take shelter, to lodge temporarily. (Focuses on the shelter aspect, e.g., "trú mưa" - to shelter from rain.)

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Núp lén: To hide stealthily, to lurk.
  • Nó núp lén nghe lén cuộc nói chuyện. (He lurked and eavesdropped on the conversation.)

Related Idioms

• Chui đầu vào cát như đà điểu: Literally "to bury one's head in the sand like an ostrich." This idiom describes avoiding reality or problems, which is related to the figurative sense of "núp" as hiding from a situation.
  • Anh ta không thể cứ núp bóng và chui đầu vào cát mãi được. (He cannot keep hiding behind others and burying his head in the sand forever.)

verb

1. to take cover; to take shelter
   • ẩn núp
     to shelter