owl; night owl (late sleeper)
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 7 examplesnoun
owl (the bird)
informalColloquial term for the bird, often associated with superstitions in rural China.
Shù树
lín林
lǐ里
yǒu有
yī一
zhī只
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
zài在
jiào叫
。
An owl is hooting in the woods.
Nóng农
cūn村
lǎo老
rén人
shuō说
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
jìn进
zhái宅
，
wú无
shì事
bù不
lái来
。
Old villagers say when an owl enters a house, it never comes without reason.
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Yè夜
māo猫
zi子
de的
yǎn眼
jing睛
zài在
yè夜
lǐ里
huì会
fā发
guāng光
。
An owl's eyes glow in the dark.
noun
night owl; person who stays up late (often used jokingly)
informalMetaphorical usage referring to someone who habitually stays up late into the night. Often carries a playful or mildly teasing tone.
Tā他
shì是
gè个
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
，
měi每
tiān天
wǎn晚
shang上
shí十
èr二
diǎn点
cái才
shuì睡
。
He's a night owl and doesn't go to bed until midnight every day.
Bié别
zuò做
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
le了
，
zǎo早
diǎn点
xiū休
xi息
duì对
shēn身
tǐ体
hǎo好
。
Don't be a night owl; going to bed early is good for your health.
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Wǒ我
men们
sù宿
shè舍
dōu都
shì是
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
，
líng凌
chén晨
hái还
zài在
liáo聊
tiān天
。
Everyone in our dorm is a night owl; we're still chatting at dawn.
Nǐ你
zhè这
zhī只
yè夜
māo猫
zi子
，
yòu又
áo熬
yè夜
wán玩
yóu游
xì戏
le了
ba吧
？
You little night owl, stayed up playing games again, didn't you?