Translation guide
The state of being affected by alcohol, drugs, or other substances, or a feeling of extreme excitement. This guide covers how to express these ideas naturally in Japanese.
To describe being drunk or under the influence of alcohol.
General term for intoxication, most commonly from alcohol. Can be used in compounds.
彼は酔いが回ってきた。
He's starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.
A drunk person; often used colloquially. Can be slightly derogatory.
駅に酔っ払いがたくさんいた。
There were a lot of drunk people at the station.
To get drunk on alcohol. A common verb phrase.
彼はすぐに酒に酔う。
He gets drunk easily.
Being dead drunk, heavily intoxicated. Stronger than 酔っ払い.
彼は泥酔して道で寝ていた。
He was dead drunk and sleeping on the street.
Tipsy, slightly drunk. A pleasant, mild intoxication.
ほろ酔い気分で散歩した。
I took a walk feeling pleasantly tipsy.
To describe being under the influence of drugs or other substances.
Drug intoxication or poisoning; often used in medical or legal contexts.
彼は薬物中毒で病院に運ばれた。
He was taken to the hospital for drug intoxication.
Slang for being high on drugs. Derived from 'ラリ' (glassy-eyed).
Very informal and potentially offensive. Use only in casual, familiar contexts.
あいつ、ラリってるよ。
That guy is high.
To express a state of extreme excitement or being carried away by an emotion or experience.
To be intoxicated by something in a figurative sense, such as music, success, or love. Implies a rapturous state.
彼女は成功に陶酔している。
She is intoxicated by her success.
To be on cloud nine, ecstatic. Often used when someone is overjoyed.
彼は優勝して有頂天になった。
He was ecstatic after winning the championship.
To be carried away with joy or excitement; literally 'to soar'.
To be enraptured, to revel in something. Often used with emotions or atmospheres.
To refer to the condition of being poisoned by a substance, not necessarily for recreational use.
Poisoning or addiction. Used for food poisoning, gas poisoning, etc. Often combined with the substance.
食中毒に気をつけてください。
Please be careful of food poisoning.
The English word 'intoxication' covers both alcohol/drug effects and figurative excitement. In Japanese, different words are used for each context. Using 酔い for drug intoxication may be misunderstood as drunkenness. For poisoning, use 中毒.
酔い (よい) primarily refers to alcohol intoxication or motion sickness. 中毒 (ちゅうどく) is used for poisoning, addiction, or toxic effects from substances. For drug intoxication, 薬物中毒 is standard.
Narcotic intoxication or addiction. Often used for illegal drugs.
麻薬中毒は深刻な問題だ。
Drug addiction is a serious problem.
彼女は褒められて舞い上がった。
She was carried away by the praise.
彼は名声に酔いしれていた。
He was reveling in his fame.
Carbon monoxide poisoning. A common compound.
一酸化炭素中毒で死亡した。
He died from carbon monoxide poisoning.