Japanese word

酔っ払う

Pronunciation

Romajiyopparau

Meaning

  • verbget drunk

Example

父は少し飲むとすぐに酔っ払います。chichi wa suko shi no mu to su gu ni yo ppara i ma su

My father gets drunk quickly after drinking only a little.

Illustration for 酔っ払う (get drunk)

More examples

彼は酔っ払って、友人に何度も同じ話をしました。kare wa yo ppara tte yū jin ni nan do mo ona ji hanashi o shi ma shi ta

He got drunk and told his friends the same story several times.

Core concept

It describes alcohol-induced intoxication taking hold strongly enough to affect a person's behavior or state.

Common phrases

  • ひどく酔っ払うhi do ku yo ppara u

    get very drunk

  • 酔っ払って寝るyo ppara tte ne ru

    fall asleep drunk

  • 酒で酔っ払うsake de yo ppara u

    get drunk on alcohol

Similar words

酔うyou: To become intoxicated after drinking alcohol, with the degree of intoxication left unspecified.

Definition in Japanese

酒などを飲んで、ひどく酔う。sake na do o no n de hi do ku yo u

Word origin

The colloquial verb 酔っ払う (yopparau) combines 酔う (yō, "become intoxicated") and 払う (harau, "sweep away or pay"); the link between 払う and the drunken meaning is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • In casual Japanese, 酔っ払う (yopparau) sounds more vivid and colloquial than the neutral verb 酔う (yō) when describing someone who is drunk.

Opposites

  • しらふshirafusobernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word