お酌しゃく

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

pouring alcohol (for someone)

Polite term for the act of pouring sake or other drinks for guests, often in a social or formal setting. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'to pour drinks'.

• 宴えん会かいでは、若わか手てが上じょう司しにお酌しゃくをするのが習しゅう慣かんだ。

  At banquets, it's customary for junior staff to pour drinks for their bosses.

• 彼かの女じょはお酌しゃくがとても上手じょうずだ。

  She is very good at pouring drinks.

noun

person who pours drinks (typically a woman)

Refers to a person, usually a woman, whose role is to pour alcohol for guests at a party or in a traditional setting. Often implies a hostess or attendant.

• 料りょう亭ていでは、お酌しゃくの女じょ性せいが丁てい寧ねいに酒さけを注そそいでくれた。

  At the traditional restaurant, a woman serving drinks carefully poured sake for us.

noun

apprentice geisha; dancing girl

Historical or traditional term for a young woman training to be a geisha, often associated with serving drinks and performing dances. Now mostly encountered in period contexts.

• 昔むかしの花はな街まちでは、お酌しゃくと呼よばれる少しょう女じょたちが芸げい妓ぎの見み習ならいをしていた。

  In the old pleasure quarters, girls called oshaku trained as apprentice geisha.