«زَيِّ أُمِّ قْوِيقْ مَا تِهْوَى إِلَّا الْخَرَايِبْ»

The saying compares a person to the owl, called here by the diminutive folk name Umm Qwayq rather than a personal name. Just as the owl is drawn to ruined, desolate spots, the person described avoids crowds and lively surroundings, choosing remote, empty places over the company of others.

In practice it describes someone who turns away from social life and city living and prefers seclusion in a village or the open countryside. The feminine verb agrees with the owl, so it can describe anyone, not only women. It casts the preference as a fixed habit, hinting the person is odd or withdrawn.

Use it when someone keeps avoiding company and settled town life, preferring remote villages or open country. Because owls are often linked with ill omen, the comparison sounds teasing or mildly disparaging, so it suits familiar speakers better than a formal description of someone's temperament.