moonlight
moonlight — 名詞
1. the soft pale light that comes from the moon at night, making outdoor objects vi
月光
月亮照射出的柔和光線
the soft pale light that comes from the moon at night, making outdoor objects visible without the sun.
Sirin stood at the window, watching the moonlight dance on the lake.
Sirin 站在窗邊，看著月光在湖面上閃爍舞動。
uncountable noun: the moonlight + verb of motion
The old house was filled with soft moonlight streaming through the curtains.
柔和的月光穿過窗簾，照滿了這棟老房子。
Faisal could read a book by the light of the full moon when the electricity went out.
停電的時候，Faisal 靠滿月的光線就可以看書。
By moonlight, the snow-covered fields looked almost magical to the children.
在月光下，覆蓋著白雪的田野在孩子們眼中幾乎像是仙境。
A pale strip of moonlight fell across the bedroom floor while everyone was asleep.
一道淺淺的月光落在臥室地板上，大家都還在沉睡。
用法筆記
Always uncountable — native speakers do not say 'a moonlight' or 'two moonlights.' Use 'a ray of moonlight' or 'a patch of moonlight' for a specific instance.
常見錯誤
2. a sudden secret departure from a rented home or business, carried out at night b
夜逃；潛逃
趁夜偷偷搬走以躲債
a sudden secret departure from a rented home or business, carried out at night by someone who owes rent or other debts and wants to escape being caught.
The tenants did a moonlight flit in the middle of the night, leaving the flat empty.
房客半夜夜逃，房間裡什麼都沒留下。
fixed phrase: 'do a moonlight flit' (British informal)
When the landlord came to collect the rent, he discovered that the young couple had made a moonlight exit.
房東來收租金時，才發現那對年輕夫婦已連夜潛逃。
After the restaurant went bankrupt, the owner pulled a moonlight flit to escape his creditors.
餐廳倒閉後，老闆連夜跑路以躲避債主。
The young couple did a moonlight flit to escape their growing debts.
那對年輕夫婦夜逃，以躲避越滾越大的債務。
- disappearance
neutral term without the 'at night' or 'debt' connotations
- bolt
sudden escape; similar sense of urgency but less specific to debts
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrases 'moonlight flit' or 'moonlight exit.' The verb form 'to moonlight' (meaning to leave secretly) exists but is far less common than 'do a moonlight flit.' Distinguish from verb sense 1 (WORK SECOND JOB), which has a completely unrelated meaning.
常見錯誤
moonlight — 動詞
1. to perform a second job alongside your main full-time position, typically withou
兼差；兼職
在本職之外從事另一份工作
to perform a second job alongside your main full-time position, typically without informing your primary employer that you are doing so.
Jenna moonlights as a web designer for a small agency in London.
Jenna 在倫敦一家小公司兼差當網頁設計師。
moonlight + as + profession
Beatrix has been moonlighting at a café on weekends to save money for college.
Beatrix 週末在一家咖啡廳打工，為上大學存錢。
Talia was fired when her boss discovered she had been moonlighting for a competitor.
Talia 的老闆發現她在對手的公司兼職，就把她開除了。
Many teachers in rural areas moonlight as private tutors to supplement their income.
鄉下很多老師靠私下當家教來貼補收入。
After losing his main job, Rafael regretted that he had never tried moonlighting while he had the chance.
失去正職之後，Rafael 後悔當初沒有嘗試兼差。
- freelance
implies self-employed work for multiple clients; does not suggest hiding it from a main employer
- side hustle
modern informal term for any extra income-earning activity alongside a main job
- hold two jobs
neutral description without the covert implication
文法句型
moonlight + as + profession/noun
moonlight + for + employer
用法筆記
Intransitive — cannot take a direct object (❌ 'He moonlights a taxi job'). Use 'moonlight as a taxi driver' instead. The gerund 'moonlighting' is very common as both a noun (e.g. 'Moonlighting is risky if your contract forbids it') and an adjective ('a moonlighting teacher'). Often carries a slightly secretive tone — the implication is that the main employer does not know or would not approve.