酒さか虫むし

noun

mythical alcohol-loving spirit inside a person

From the Chinese story 'Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio' (1740). A legendary creature said to live in a heavy drinker's body, causing an insatiable desire for alcohol; also fabled to turn water into wine.

• 酒しゅ虫ちゅうは中ちゅう国ごくの怪かい談だんに登とう場じょうする、酒さけ好ずきを引ひき起おこす虫むしだと言いわれている。

  The shuchū is said to be a worm that appears in Chinese ghost stories and causes a love of alcohol.