Definition

1. Verb:
   • To shrink, to contract, to draw in: "sun" describes the action of making a part of the body, typically the shoulders, become smaller, tighter, or drawn inward, often due to cold, fear, or timidity.
   • To recoil, to cower: It can imply a physical shrinking back or hunching as a reaction.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Trời lạnh quá, nó sun vai lại. (It's so cold, he shrank his shoulders in.)
  • Đứa bé sun người vào góc tường. (The child cowered into the corner of the wall.)
  • Cô ấy sun vai vì sợ hãi. (She drew in her shoulders in fear.)

Advanced Usage

• "sun mình": to shrink one's whole body, to cower.
  • Con mèo sun mình trước tiếng động lớn. (The cat cowered at the loud noise.)
• "sun rúm": to shrivel up, to contract severely (often used for non-living things by extension).
  • Tờ giấy bị ướt sun rúm lại. (The wet paper shriveled up.)

Variants and Related Words

• Co lại (verb): to contract, to shrink. This is a common synonym and the base meaning of "sun".
• Rúm (verb/adjective): shriveled, wrinkled. Often used with "sun" for emphasis.
• Thu mình (verb): to withdraw into oneself, to retreat. Similar in the sense of making oneself smaller.

Synonyms

• Co rúm: to shrivel up.
• Rụt lại: to pull back, to retract.
• Khép người: to close oneself in (physically).

Notes on Meaning

• The primary and most common usage of "sun" is physical, describing the contraction of the shoulders ("sun vai"). Its use for other body parts or objects is an extension of this core meaning.
• It often carries a connotation of a reflexive, involuntary action in response to an external stimulus like cold or threat.
• It is not typically used as a noun in modern Vietnamese. The celestial body "sun" is "mặt trời".

1. Shrink
2. Sun vai
3. To shrink one's shoulders