trùm chăn

Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To cover oneself with a blanket: The literal action of pulling a blanket over one's head or body.
   • To adopt an ostrich policy / to bury one's head in the sand: A figurative meaning describing a passive, evasive, or wait-and-see attitude, especially in the face of difficulty, danger, or political pressure, implying an attempt to ignore reality.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase (literal):
  • Trời lạnh quá, tôi phải trùm chăn khi ngủ. (It's so cold, I have to cover myself with a blanket when sleeping.)
• Verb phrase (figurative):
  • Trước những vấn đề của công ty, ông giám đốc chỉ biết trùm chăn. (Faced with the company's problems, the director just buries his head in the sand.)
  • Chính sách trùm chăn của chính quyền đó không giải quyết được xung đột. (That administration's ostrich policy does not resolve the conflict.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in political or social commentary to criticize a passive, non-confrontational, or neutralist stance during a crisis or under an occupying force, as referenced in the historical context.

Variants and Related Words

• Trùm đầu (v): to cover one's head (e.g., with a scarf, hood).
  • Cô ấy trùm đầu để tránh nắng. (She covered her head to avoid the sun.)

Synonyms

• To ignore: to refuse to acknowledge.
• To evade: to avoid dealing with something.
• To be passive: to accept things without active response.

Related Idioms

• Chính sách con đà điểu (Ostrich policy): A direct synonym for the figurative use of "trùm chăn," meaning a policy of refusing to recognize obvious dangers.
  • Họ bị chỉ trích vì theo đuổi chính sách con đà điểu. (They were criticized for pursuing an ostrich policy.)