The word 熬夜 (áo yè) is a verb-object compound formed by combining the verb 熬 (áo), which means "to endure" or "to stew" (metaphorically extending to "to stay up through"), with the noun 夜 (yè), meaning "night". Together, the literal meaning is "to endure the night" or "to stew through the night", vividly capturing the act of staying up late, often by force of will, to work, study, or engage in an activity instead of sleeping.