Night owl
Meaning: Someone who stays up late; a person most active at night.
A 'night owl' prefers late nights to early mornings—active and alert when others sleep. Opposite of the 'early bird.' Owls' nocturnal habits made them natural metaphors.
Examples
- I'm a night owl—do my best work late. 我是夜猫子——晚上工作状态最好。Soy un búho nocturno — trabajo mejor de noche.私は夜型人間—夜遅くに一番いい仕事ができる。나는 야행성이야—밤늦게 가장 일이 잘 돼.
- Night owls struggle with 9-to-5 jobs. 夜猫子很难适应朝九晚五的工作。Los noctámbulos lo pasan mal con trabajos de 9 a 5.夜型人間は9時から5時の仕事が苦手だ。야행성 사람들은 9시 출근이 힘들다.
- The night owl programming sessions. 夜猫子编程时间。Las sesiones de programación nocturnas.夜型のプログラミングセッション。밤형 프로그래밍 세션.
Pronunciation
/naɪt aʊl/
Usage Guide
Context: sleep, habits, lifestyle
Tone: descriptive, self-identifying
✓ Do Say
- Night owl夜猫子noctámbulo/a, búho nocturnoナイト・オウル — 夜型人間올빼미족.
- A night owl一个夜猫子un/a noctámbulo/a夜型人間나는 올빼미족이야.
Common Mistakes
- Opposite of 'early bird'
Origin & History
From owls' nocturnal nature. 'Night owl' has described people who stay up late since at least the 16th century. The contrast with 'early bird' emphasises different chronotypes.
Etymology: From owls' nocturnal habits
First recorded: 16th century onwards
Cultural Context
Era: 16th century onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Pop culture: Sleep research; Chronotypes
Regional notes: English-language universal.
Variations
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