ほろ酔い
The Japanese word for tipsy is ほろ酔い.
The term ほろ酔い is used to describe being slightly drunk.
Meaning: slightly drunk (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the onomatopoeic sound horo (describing a light, drifting or hazy sensation) and yoi (the state of being drunk).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ほろ酔い carries a pleasant, slightly positive connotation of being pleasantly buzzed, making it more socially acceptable than more blunt terms for intoxication.
How does it change in a sentence?
While it functions as a noun or a 'na-adjective' (adjectival noun), it is often used directly before a noun to modify it, such as ほろ酔いの状態 (a tipsy state).
Did you know?
- Japanese uses the same root word 酔い for both being tipsy and being motion-sick, as both are viewed as a state of the body being 'out of balance'.
- The state of ほろ酔い is culturally prized for enabling 本音 'honne', which are a person's true feelings that are usually hidden in formal Japanese society.
- The sound ほろ is also found in the word ほろり, which describes the specific motion of a single tear falling or a heart melting with emotion.
Examples in context
- そういえば、電車の中で隣に座ったほろ酔いのおっさんに、自分の俳句を見て欲しいと言われたことがある。Now that I think of it, I've been asked to look at a haiku he'd written by the tipsy bloke sitting next to me on the train.This sentence shows how to use ほろ酔い to describe a person.Tatoeba #74224 by fcbond, translation #329496 by fcbond
- 彼（かれ）は少（すこ）し酔（よ）っ払（ぱら）っている。He is a bit tipsy.
- ほろ酔いの気分で、とても幸せです。horoyoi no kibun de, totemo shiawase desu.I feel tipsy and very happy.
- 彼はほろ酔いで、少し顔が赤い。kare wa horoyoi de, sukoshi kao ga akai.He is tipsy and his face is a little red.
Example conversation
Two friends are having a drink at a small bar.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さんは、もうほろ酔いですか？Youta-san wa, mou horoyoi desu ka?Are you tipsy already, Youta?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、少しほろ酔い気分だよ。Un, sukoshi horoyoi kibun da yo.Yeah, I feel a little tipsy.
- 結衣 Yui顔が少し赤くなっていますね。Kao ga sukoshi akaku natte imasu ne.Your face is getting a little red.
- 陽太 Yota本当だね、飲みすぎたかな。Hontou da ne, nomisugita kana.You're right, maybe I drank too much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ほろ酔い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
