IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishthe sandman is coming
Meaning: It's time to sleep; someone is getting sleepy.
Example: “The kids are yawning; the sandman is coming.”
Origin: In European folklore the sandman sprinkles sand in children's eyes to make them sleepy, which explains rubbing tired eyes. E. T. A. Hoffmann's story Der Sandmann (1816) and Hans Christian Andersen's Ole Lukøje (1841) spread the figure.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Le marchand de sable est passé Literally: The sandman has been by
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