Japanese word

酔う

Pronunciation

Romajiyou

Meaning

  • verbget drunk

Example

お酒を飲みすぎると酔います。o sake o no mi su gi ru to yo i ma su

You get drunk when you drink too much alcohol.

Illustration for 酔う (get drunk)

More examples

彼は少し飲んだだけで酔いました。kare wa suko shi no n da da ke de yo i ma shi ta

He got drunk after drinking only a little.

Core concept

Describes alcohol causing a person to shift from a normal state into altered physical and mental functioning.

Common phrases

  • 酒に酔うsake ni yo u

    get drunk on alcohol

  • すっかり酔うsu kka ri yo u

    get completely drunk

Similar words

酔っ払うyopparau: To become strongly affected by alcohol in casual speech.
泥酔するdeisuisuru: To become extremely drunk and lose normal control.

Definition in Japanese

酒を飲んで、酒の作用で心身の働きが普段と変わった状態になる。sake o no n de sake no sa yō de shin shin no hatara ki ga fu dan to ka wa tta jō tai ni na ru

Word origin

The native Japanese verb 酔う (yō) has the older written form 酔ふ (yofu), and the modern spelling reflects a historical change from -fu to -u.

Usage tips

  • The Japanese verb 酔う (yō) can cover both mild tipsiness and full drunkenness, so context shows how strongly alcohol affects someone.

Other meanings

  • get tipsyverb

Opposites

  • 醒めるsamerusober upverb

Related words

  • 酔いyoiintoxicationnoun
  • 酔っぱらいyopparaidrunkardnoun

Word lists with this word