expression
drinkers harm themselves by drinking too much, nondrinkers miss out on alcohol's medicinal benefits
Proverb contrasting the excesses of drinkers with the missed health benefits for teetotalers; reflects a traditional view that moderate alcohol can be medicinal.
「上戸は毒を知らず下戸は薬を知らず」ということわざがある。
There is a proverb: 'Drinkers know not poison, nondrinkers know not medicine.'
A traditional Japanese proverb. 上戸 (jōgo) means 'heavy drinker', 下戸 (geko) means 'nondrinker'. The saying contrasts the two extremes.