Translation guide
In Japanese, 'cold sake' can refer to chilled sake served in various ways, from lightly chilled to ice-cold. The most common term is 冷酒 (reishu), but specific temperatures and serving styles have their own names.
The learner wants to order or refer to cold sake in a general sense, without specifying temperature.
The standard word for chilled sake. It covers a range of cool temperatures, typically around 5–15°C.
Please give me cold sake.
Cold sake is delicious in summer.
Literally 'chilled Japanese sake'. Used when you need to be explicit, but 冷酒 is more natural.
I like chilled sake.
The learner wants sake served very cold, often with ice or in a frozen style.
Sake served over shaved ice, resembling sleet (みぞれ). Popular in summer.
I ordered sleet-style cold sake.
Sake served on ice cubes. A borrowed phrase from English, common in bars.
Please give me sake on the rocks.
Technically means 'chilled', but in sake terminology it often implies room temperature or slightly chilled. Can be confusing; use 冷酒 for clarity.
In sake contexts, 冷や can mean room temperature, not cold. Avoid unless you know the specific usage.
The learner wants to specify a precise temperature for chilled sake, as connoisseurs do.
Sake chilled to around 5°C, 'snow-chilled'. A refined term.
Please serve it snow-chilled.
Sake chilled to around 10°C, 'flower-chilled'. Evokes spring coolness.
Sake chilled to around 15°C, 'cool-chilled'. A light chill.
Savor it cool-chilled.
In everyday Japanese, 冷や (hiya) means 'cold', but in sake terminology it traditionally means 'room temperature'. If you want cold sake, always use 冷酒 (reishu) to avoid confusion.
At a restaurant or bar, simply say 「冷酒をください」 (reishu o kudasai). If you want to specify a temperature, you can say 「雪冷えでお願いします」 (yukibie de onegai shimasu).
冷やでお願いします。
I'll have it chilled, please. (But may be interpreted as room temperature in traditional settings.)
花冷えの温度が好きです。
I like the flower-chilled temperature.