นกฮูก

Explanation

This everyday word for “owl” is formed from นก (“bird”) and ฮูก. The usual classifier is ตัว, as in นกฮูกตัวหนึ่ง (“one owl”) and นกฮูกสองตัว (“two owls”). Because owls are nocturnal, มนุษย์นกฮูก is an informal expression for a “night owl”—someone who stays up late or is most active at night.

Usage

It is used when talking about owls in zoos, forests, birdwatching, children’s stories, pictures, and merchandise. In the expression มนุษย์นกฮูก, it also appears in casual conversations about staying up late or being active at night.

Caution

Using นกฮูก alone for a person may not clearly mean “night owl.” Use มนุษย์นกฮูก or a descriptive phrase such as คนที่ชอบนอนดึก (“someone who likes staying up late”).

1 owl synonyms

• นกเค้าแมว

  นกเค้าแมว is another common term for an owl and often overlaps with นกฮูก. More specific bird names are used when the exact species matters.