noun
drinking to drown one's sorrows; desperate drinking
Drinking alcohol out of despair, frustration, or to forget one's troubles. Often implies reckless or excessive drinking.
失恋して、昨夜はやけ酒をあおった。
After the heartbreak, I drowned my sorrows in drink last night.
やけ酒は体に良くないよ。
Drinking in desperation isn't good for your health.
Rarely used kanji form; the kanji 焼け can be misleading.
Rarely used kanji form; easily confused with 焼酎 (shōchū).
Compound of 自棄 (yake, 'despair') and 酒 (sake, 'alcohol'). The kanji 自棄 is ateji; the word is more commonly written with kana for the first part.