Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To lie curled up: To adopt a sleeping or resting position where the body is bent, with the knees drawn up towards the chest, often for warmth, comfort, or due to lack of space.
   • To lie low; to stay put (figurative): To remain inactive, hidden, or withdrawn, often to avoid attention, danger, or due to discouragement.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning (to lie curled up):

  • Trời lạnh, nó nằm co trong chăn. (It's cold, he lies curled up under the blanket.)
  • Căn phòng nhỏ quá, đêm nào tôi cũng phải nằm co. (The room is too small, every night I have to lie curled up.)

• Figurative meaning (to lie low; to stay put):

  • Sau thất bại, anh ấy chỉ muốn nằm co ở nhà. (After the failure, he just wants to lie low at home.)
  • Cứ nằm co như thế thì không giải quyết được việc gì. (If you just stay put like that, you won't solve anything.)

Advanced Usage

• "nằm co một chỗ": To lie curled up in one spot; to remain stuck in one place (both literal and figurative).
  • Cả buổi chiều nó nằm co một chỗ đọc sách. (He spent the whole afternoon curled up in one spot reading a book.)
  • Đừng có nằm co một chỗ, ra ngoài mà tìm cơ hội đi. (Don't just stay stuck in one place, go out and look for opportunities.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nằm bẹp (verb): To lie flat; to be flattened; (figuratively) to be defeated, to collapse, or to stay idle. Often used interchangeably with the figurative sense of "nằm co".
  • Đội bóng đối thủ bị đánh nằm bẹp. (The opposing football team was soundly defeated.)
• Co quắp (verb): To contract convulsively; to curl up tightly (often due to cold or pain). Describes a more tense, involuntary contraction than "nằm co".
  • Cậu bé co quắp vì lạnh. (The boy curled up tightly because of the cold.)
• Cuộn tròn (verb): To roll oneself into a ball; to coil up. Can be used similarly to "nằm co" but often implies a more rounded, ball-like shape.
  • Con mèo cuộn tròn trên ghế. (The cat curled up into a ball on the chair.)

Synonyms

• Thu mình (verb phrase): To shrink oneself; to withdraw. Closer to the figurative meaning of hiding or becoming inconspicuous.
• Ẩn núp (verb): To hide; to take cover. Emphasizes the aspect of hiding.

Related Idioms

• Co vòi rút cổ (idiom): To retract one's trunk and neck (like a turtle); to withdraw and hide, avoiding confrontation or responsibility. This is a stronger, more vivid idiom for the figurative sense of "nằm co".
  • Thấy khó khăn là nó co vòi rút cổ ngay. (As soon as he sees difficulty, he withdraws and hides immediately.)

1. Lie curled up
   • Rét quá phải nằm co
     To have to lie curled up (in one's bed) because of the cold
   • như nằm bẹp