Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 酔っ払い | yopparai | [jo̞p̚pa̠ɾa̠i] (narrow) |
| 酔っぱらった | yopparatta |
The term refers to the state of being intoxicated after consuming too much alcohol. The root of these forms is the verb 酔う, which means to become intoxicated or to feel dizzy. Note that this root verb can also be used to describe getting motion sickness, such as car sickness or sea sickness.
What does it mean word for word?
The words are derived from the verb 酔う (you), which means to become intoxicated or to feel dizzy/motion sick.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on whether you are naming a person or describing a state. 酔っ払い functions as a noun meaning a drunk person or a drunkard, while 酔っぱらった is the past tense form used to describe the state of being drunk.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 酔っ払い functions grammatically as a noun meaning a drunk person. The form 酔っぱらった is the past tense of the verb 酔っぱらう and is used to describe the state of being drunk.
How do you pronounce it?
yopparai
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, behaving slightly 'drunk' or showing intoxication is often more socially acceptable for businessmen than in the West. This is seen as a way to break down rigid social hierarchies and build honest relationships.
- There is a common expression, 酔った勢いで (yotta ikioi de), meaning 'on a drunken impulse'. It is often used as a socially acceptable excuse for saying something bold or confessing love that one would be too shy to say while sober.
- Japanese has a specific word, 酔い覚まし (yoizamashi), for the act of sobering up. It can refer to a morning drink, a walk or a snack taken to clear the head after drinking.
Examples in context
- この酔っ払い！You are drunk!This example shows how to use the noun 酔っ払い to address someone.Tatoeba #10117925 by small_snow, translation #64332 by CK
- みんな酔っ払いだった。Everyone was drunk.This sentence uses the noun 酔っ払い to describe a group of people.Tatoeba #11310897 by small_snow, translation #4144766 by Hybrid
- 酔っ払いが階段から落ちたんだ。A drunk man fell down the stairs.This sentence uses the noun 酔っ払い to refer to a person who fell.Tatoeba #143595 by small_snow, translation #270972 by CK
- Tomo ga yotteiru yo (友が酔っているよ)My friend is drunk.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youta and Misaki are talking about a party they attended.
- 陽太 Yota昨日のパーティー、誰が一番酔っ払いだった？Kinou no paatii, dare ga ichiban yopparai datta?Who was the drunkest person at yesterday's party?
- 美咲 Misakiたぶん健太くんかな。かなり酔っ払いだったよ。Tabun Kenta-kun kana. Kanari yopparai datta yo.Maybe Kenta. He was quite drunk.
- 陽太 Yotaやっぱりね。彼は酔っ払いになるとうるさいし。Yappari ne. Kare wa yopparai ni naru to urusai shi.I thought so. He gets noisy when he's drunk.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。でも、いい気分だったみたいだよ。Hontou ni. Demo, ii kibun datta mitai da yo.Exactly. But it seems like he was in a great mood.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries 酔っ払い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
