trộm phép
Definition
- Adverb:
- Without prior permission / without asking for permission first: Describes an action taken without seeking or obtaining authorization beforehand. It implies a secretive or unauthorized manner.
- Stealthily / covertly (in a borrowed sense): Carries a connotation of doing something in a hidden or furtive way, as if "stealing" the opportunity or moment to act.
Usage Examples
- Adverb:
- Nó lấy xe máy của bố trộm phép đi chơi. (He took his father's motorbike without permission to go out.)
- Các học sinh vào phòng giáo viên trộm phép. (The students entered the teachers' room without asking first.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used to describe actions by children, subordinates, or individuals who bypass authority. It emphasizes the lack of formal consent rather than necessarily malicious intent.
Variants and Related Words
- Lén lút (adv): stealthily, secretly. While similar, "lén lút" focuses more on the secretive method, whereas "trộm phép" explicitly highlights the absence of permission.
- Tự ý (adv): on one's own initiative, arbitrarily. This can imply acting without permission but may lack the covert nuance of "trộm phép."
Synonyms
- Without authorization
- Without prior consent
- Sneakily (in context)
Related Idioms
- Ăn trộm ăn cắp: to steal (lit. and fig.). This shares the root "trộm" (to steal) and reinforces the concept of unauthorized taking.
- Làm liều: to act recklessly or without thinking. This can be a consequence of acting "trộm phép."