hen
hen — noun
1. a fully grown female chicken, especially one raised on a farm for the eggs it pr
a fully grown female chicken, especially one raised on a farm for the eggs it produces
Every morning, Jisoo gathers eggs from the hen house.
common farm context: hen house
The old hen sat on her eggs to keep them warm.
broody behaviour: sit on eggs
Kwame's grandmother keeps six hens in her garden.
A hen will lay nearly one egg each day during summer.
Sofie watched the hen peck at grain on the ground.
常見錯誤
2. any female bird, used especially to distinguish a female from a male of the same
any female bird, used especially to distinguish a female from a male of the same species when they look different
The male peacock is colourful, but the hen is plain brown.
male/female contrast in birds
Nikhil spotted a hen mallard leading her ducklings across the pond.
The hen pheasant sat still among the dry leaves, nearly invisible to predators.
Élise identified the bird as a hen pheasant by its dull feathers.
- female bird
more general and transparent; works for any bird species
- cock
male of certain bird species, especially game birds
用法筆記
Common in ornithology and birdwatching contexts. Not used for every bird species — it applies mainly to species where males and females have noticeably different appearances (sexual dimorphism).
常見錯誤
3. a bride-to-be who is the guest of honour at a celebration with only female frien
a bride-to-be who is the guest of honour at a celebration with only female friends shortly before the marriage
The bride-to-be laughed with her friends at her hen party.
hen party context
Esteban surprised the hen with tickets to a comedy show.
Rania's sister invited twelve friends to her hen celebration.
At the hen party, Amihan won every game and was crowned queen.
- bride-to-be
more formal and general; not tied to the party context
- bachelorette
American English equivalent of a woman at her pre-wedding party
- stag
the man at his pre-wedding stag party
用法筆記
Primarily British and Commonwealth English. This sense only applies when the woman is the guest of honour at her own hen party, not someone else's. The equivalent event for men is a stag party or bachelor party.
常見錯誤
4. an informal term used in Scotland and parts of Northern England for speaking dir
an informal term used in Scotland and parts of Northern England for speaking directly and kindly to a female friend or acquaintance
Thanks for the help, hen — I really appreciate it.
used as a form of address
Don't worry about it, hen, everything will work out fine.
'Are you all right, hen?' the shop assistant asked.
'You look lovely tonight, hen!' Mira's friend called across the room.
用法筆記
Chiefly used in Scotland and Northern England. Not considered rude but highly informal — unsuitable for formal or professional settings. Similar in tone to 'love', 'dear', or 'pet' in other British regional dialects.
常見錯誤
5. a female creature that lives in water, such as a lobster, crab, fish, or octopus
a female creature that lives in water, such as a lobster, crab, fish, or octopus, referred to when its sex is important for fishing, cooking, or biology
A female lobster, called a hen, carries eggs under her tail.
common in seafood/fishing contexts
Fishermen release egg-bearing hen crabs to protect the population.
Baraka studied how the hen octopus guards her eggs until they hatch.
The hen fish, heavier than the male, produces thousands of eggs.
- female
broader term that works for any animal, not just aquatic ones
- cock
male of certain aquatic animals such as lobsters and crabs
用法筆記
Technical or specialist register. Used in fishing, marine biology, and aquaculture. Not common in everyday conversation. Often appears as a modifier before the animal name (hen lobster, hen crab, hen fish).