Night snack is a common term for food eaten late at night before sleeping.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Late-night snack or meal.
- Eaten after dinner, before sleep.
- Commonly eaten with friends or alone.
Overview
“夜宵”是一个常用的中文名词，指的是人们在晚上睡觉前，通常是在晚餐之后、睡觉之前吃的东西。它是一种非正式的用餐习惯，可以帮助填饱肚子，或者在睡前满足口腹之欲。夜宵的内容非常多样，从简单的零食到稍微丰盛的小吃都可以算作夜宵。
“夜宵”这个词的使用非常普遍，尤其是在日常口语中。人们常常会问“你吃夜宵了吗？”或者说“我想吃点夜宵”。它通常与“吃”、“喝”、“买”、“做”等动词搭配使用。例如，“我晚上经常吃夜宵”、“我们一起去吃夜宵吧”、“他忙到很晚才回家，随便吃了点夜宵”。
夜宵的场景非常生活化。常见的有：
**个人习惯**：有些人因为晚餐吃得早或者食量小，晚上睡觉前会感到饿，从而吃夜宵。
与“夜宵”相似的词语包括“宵夜”和“点心”。
- 宵夜 (xiāoyè): “宵夜”和“夜宵”在意思上几乎完全相同，都可以指晚上吃的东西。两者可以互换使用，没有明显的区别。在某些地区或语境下，“宵夜”可能更常用一些，但“夜宵”同样被广泛理解和使用。
- 点心 (diǎnxin): “点心”的含义比“夜宵”更广。它可以指任何正餐之外的小吃、零食，不一定只在晚上吃。例如，早茶的点心、下午茶的点心都不能称为“夜宵”。虽然有些点心（如包子、饺子）也可以作为夜宵，但“点心”本身并不特指晚上的食物。因此，“夜宵”是“点心”的一个特定时间（晚上）的子集。
Examples
忙了一天，晚上回家吃点热乎乎的夜宵感觉真舒服。
everydayAfter a busy day, eating a warm night snack at home feels so comfortable.
他们经常在深夜讨论项目，并点一些外卖作为夜宵。
work/studyThey often discuss projects late into the night and order takeout as a late-night meal.
走，哥们儿！去街角那家烧烤店吃点夜宵！
informalLet's go, buddy! Let's grab some late-night snacks at that barbecue joint on the corner!
为了保持健康，医生建议她减少夜宵的摄入。
health adviceTo maintain her health, the doctor advised her to reduce her intake of late-night snacks.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
晚上吃点夜宵
have a late-night snack in the evening
来一份夜宵
order a late-night snack
深夜夜宵
deep night snack
Often Confused With
Both 'yèxiāo' and 'xiāoyè' mean 'late-night snack' and are largely interchangeable in modern Chinese. 'Xiāoyè' might be slightly more common in some regions or contexts, but both are widely understood.
'Diǎnxin' refers to snacks or dim sum in general, not specifically to food eaten late at night. While some 'diǎnxin' can be eaten as 'yèxiāo', the term 'diǎnxin' itself is not time-specific.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The term 'yèxiāo' is very common in everyday spoken Chinese. It is informal and generally used to refer to food consumed after dinner and before going to bed. It can range from simple snacks to small meals. The context is usually casual, like hanging out with friends or after working late.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 'yèxiāo' with other meal times like 'zǎocān' (breakfast) or 'wǔcān' (lunch). It's important to remember 'yèxiāo' specifically refers to late-night eating. Also, avoid using it in formal settings where a more neutral term like 'late-night meal' might be implied.
Tips
Choose Light and Healthy Snacks
When eating late night snacks, opt for lighter options like fruits or yogurt to avoid digestive discomfort.
Avoid Heavy Late-Night Meals
Consuming large or heavy meals as night snacks can disrupt sleep and negatively impact your health.
Night Markets and Food Culture
In China, night markets (夜市) are very popular, offering a wide variety of 'yèxiāo' foods, reflecting a vibrant late-night food culture.
Word Origin
The word 'yèxiāo' is a compound word. 'Yè' (夜) means 'night', and 'xiāo' (宵) also relates to night or evening, specifically the latter part. Together, they clearly denote an activity or food item associated with the late hours of the night.
Cultural Context
Eating 'yèxiāo' is a common social activity in China, often involving friends gathering at night markets, barbecue restaurants, or simply sharing snacks at home. It's a way to extend social interaction into the later hours and enjoy food culture.
Memory Tip
Think of 'yè' (night) and 'xiāo' (to eat/snack). It's the snack you eat during the night, right before you sleep. Imagine a little moon (night) with a fork and knife (eating).
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions“夜宵”和“宵夜”在意思上基本相同，都是指晚上吃的东西。两者可以互换使用，没有明显的区别。在不同的地区或个人习惯中，可能会更偏向使用其中一个词。
经常吃夜宵，尤其是一些高热量、不易消化的食物，可能会增加消化系统负担，影响睡眠质量，并可能导致体重增加。适量且健康的夜宵（如水果、酸奶）则相对较好。
适合当夜宵的食物最好是清淡、易消化的，比如水果、酸奶、一小碗粥、几片全麦面包等。避免油炸、辛辣或过于甜腻的食物。
不一定。虽然很多人把夜宵当作是吃零食，但它也可以是一顿简单的餐点，比如一碗面条、几笼包子或者一份烧烤，只要是在晚上睡觉前吃的，都可以称为夜宵。
Test Yourself
忙了一天，我晚上回家只想吃点简单的_______。
句子的语境是“晚上回家”，并且需要填入“简单的”，符合“夜宵”的定义。
下列哪个选项最能描述“夜宵”？
“夜宵”明确指的是晚上睡觉前吃的食物，区别于早餐、午餐和下午茶。
请用以下词语组成一个通顺的句子：夜宵 / 吃 / 我 / 喜欢 / 朋友 / 和 / 一起
“我喜欢和朋友一起吃夜宵”是一个主谓宾结构完整、语序自然的句子。
Score: /3
Summary
Night snack is a common term for food eaten late at night before sleeping.
- Late-night snack or meal.
- Eaten after dinner, before sleep.
- Commonly eaten with friends or alone.
Choose Light and Healthy Snacks
When eating late night snacks, opt for lighter options like fruits or yogurt to avoid digestive discomfort.
Avoid Heavy Late-Night Meals
Consuming large or heavy meals as night snacks can disrupt sleep and negatively impact your health.
Night Markets and Food Culture
In China, night markets (夜市) are very popular, offering a wide variety of 'yèxiāo' foods, reflecting a vibrant late-night food culture.
Examples
4 of 4忙了一天，晚上回家吃点热乎乎的夜宵感觉真舒服。
After a busy day, eating a warm night snack at home feels so comfortable.
他们经常在深夜讨论项目，并点一些外卖作为夜宵。
They often discuss projects late into the night and order takeout as a late-night meal.
走，哥们儿！去街角那家烧烤店吃点夜宵！
Let's go, buddy! Let's grab some late-night snacks at that barbecue joint on the corner!
为了保持健康，医生建议她减少夜宵的摄入。
To maintain her health, the doctor advised her to reduce her intake of late-night snacks.
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B1Half a kilogram; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 500g).
一两
B1Fifty grams; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 50g).
AA制
A2To split the bill; go Dutch.
一袋
B1A bag of.
一口
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多一点儿
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一盒
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