Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Behind someone's back: Refers to an action done without someone's knowledge, often secretly or deceitfully.
   • At the back of, behind: Indicates a physical location directly behind a person or object.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Họ bàn tán sau lưng tôi. (They were gossiping behind my back.)
  • Cô ấy giấu món quà sau lưng. (She hid the gift behind her back.)
  • Anh ta luôn làm việc tốt sau lưng mọi người. (He always does good deeds behind everyone's back.)

Advanced Usage

• "nói xấu sau lưng": to speak ill of someone behind their back.
  • Không nên nói xấu bạn bè sau lưng. (You shouldn't speak ill of your friends behind their backs.)
• "giấu sau lưng": to hide something behind one's back.
  • Đứa trẻ giấu bức tranh sau lưng. (The child hid the drawing behind his back.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sau (preposition): After, behind. Indicates a sequence in time or a position at the rear.
  • Sau nhà có một khu vườn. (There is a garden behind the house.)
• Lưng (noun): Back (the part of the body).
  • Tôi bị đau lưng. (I have a backache.)

Synonyms

• Một cách lén lút: In a stealthy manner.
• Sau (when referring to physical location): Behind.

Related Phrases

• Sau lưng địch: Behind enemy lines (military context).
  • Bộ đội hoạt động sau lưng địch. (The soldiers operated behind enemy lines.)

Related Idioms

• Cười người hôm trước hôm sau người cười: Literally "Laugh at someone yesterday, someone laughs at you tomorrow." This idiom warns against mocking others, as circumstances can change, and implies that gossip or mockery done "sau lưng" can rebound.
  • Đừng chê bai ai, cười người hôm trước hôm sau người cười. (Don't criticize anyone; you laugh at someone today, someone will laugh at you tomorrow.)

adv

1. a back of, behind one's back