Translation guide
In Japanese, the general term for an alcoholic drink is お酒 (osake), but the specific word depends on the type of drink and the context. This guide covers common ways to refer to alcoholic beverages, from casual to formal settings.
alcoholic drink (general)
The most common, all-purpose word for any alcoholic beverage, used in everyday conversation.
The polite and standard word for alcohol in general. The prefix お adds politeness. Can refer to sake, beer, wine, or any alcoholic drink.
Do you drink alcohol?
I'm not very good with alcohol.
The plain form of お酒. More casual and direct. Often used by men or in informal situations. Can also specifically mean sake (Japanese rice wine).
Loanword from English. Often used in compound words or when talking about alcohol content. Can sound slightly clinical.
When you want to refer to a particular kind of alcohol, use these common terms.
Beer. The most popular alcoholic drink in Japan.
I'll start with a beer! (common phrase when ordering)
Japanese sake (rice wine). Use this to be specific, as 酒 alone can be ambiguous.
Wine. Specify 赤 (red) or 白 (white) if needed.
Shochu, a distilled spirit often made from sweet potato, barley, or rice. Very common in Japan.
Whisky. Often enjoyed as a highball (ハイボール) in Japan.
Phrases used when you want to invite someone for a drink or order at a bar.
How to ask for a non-alcoholic drink or specify that you don't drink alcohol.
酒 (さけ) can mean alcohol in general or specifically Japanese sake. To avoid confusion, use お酒 for general alcohol and 日本酒 for sake.
Adding お to 酒 makes it more polite and is the default in most situations. Dropping it sounds casual or masculine.
Wanna go grab a drink?
Does this drink contain alcohol?
日本酒を熱燗でください。
Please give me hot sake.
A glass of red wine, please.
焼酎のお湯割りをください。
Shochu with hot water, please.
A highball, please.
Sorry, I can't drink alcohol.