お酒
osake[o̞sa̠ke̞]
The English word "liquor" can be translated into Japanese as お酒 (osake).
お酒 is a broad term that covers all types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and spirits, not just distilled liquor. The loanword アルコール (arukōru) means "alcohol". A チューハイ (chūhai) is a canned cocktail made with shōchū, soda and various flavors.
Meaning: strong alcoholic drink derived from fermentation and distillation (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The prefix 'o-' makes the word 'sake' more polite and is the standard way to refer to alcohol in most social situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can use specific phrases to describe a person's alcohol tolerance.
How do you pronounce it?
osake
Did you know?
- There is a specific cultural concept called 飲み会 (nomikai), which translates to 'drinking party', where employees are often expected to drink お酒 with their bosses to build social bonds.
- In traditional Shinto rituals, お酒 is offered to the gods as a way to bridge the gap between the human and divine worlds.
- Some Japanese people use the phrase お酒に弱い (osake ni yowai), literally 'weak to alcohol', to politely decline a drink without saying 'no'.
Examples in context
- お酒強くなりたい。I want to be able to hold my liquor better.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to increase your alcohol tolerance.Tatoeba #3710893 by tommy_san, translation #6886092 by tripbeetle
- 私は結構お酒に強いんです。I can hold my liquor.This sentence is useful for stating that you have a high alcohol tolerance.Tatoeba #157332 by bunbuku, translation #257201 by CM
- 父は強いお酒を飲みません。My father doesn't drink hard liquor.This sentence is useful for describing someone who avoids drinking hard liquor.Tatoeba #2366944 by bunbuku, translation #1439953 by CK
- お酒をお願いします。Please give me some liquor.
- アルコールを飲むのは好きですか？Do you like drinking alcohol?
- 一緒に酒を飲もう！Let's drink alcohol together!
- お酒は好きですか？Do you like alcohol?
- ぬる燗をください。Please give me warm sake.
- チューハイを飲みますか？Do you drink chūhai?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to drink at a restaurant.
- 陽葵 Himariお酒、飲みますか？Osake, nomimasu ka?Do you drink liquor?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、大好きです。Hai, daisuki desu.Yes, I love it.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、ビールにしましょうか。Jaa, biiru ni shimashou ka.Then, shall we go with beer?
- 陽太 Yotaいいですね、賛成です。Ii desu ne, sansei desu.That sounds good, I agree.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お酒, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
