je6 jau4 san4夜遊神
Jyutpingje6 jau4 san4
Yaleyeh yàuh sàhn
Definition
A night owl; a person who stays up late or is active at night.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Originally referring to a deity in Chinese mythology who patrols at night, this term has evolved into a playful way to describe someone who prefers staying awake until the early hours. It carries a slightly more whimsical or descriptive tone than simply saying someone likes to stay up late. It is often used to tease friends who are chronically active during the night.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with literal nocturnal animals or professional night shift workers, as the term specifically highlights a person's voluntary habit of staying up late for leisure or social reasons.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
