also: えいさめのみずげこしらず
a teetotaler doesn't know how good water tastes after drinking
Proverb meaning that someone who never drinks cannot appreciate the relief or pleasure that water brings to a hungover person; used to say that you cannot understand something without experiencing it.
As the proverb goes, 'A teetotaler doesn't know how good water tastes after drinking' — you can't appreciate something without experiencing it.
Standard kanji spelling for this proverb.
Alternate reading using えい for 酔い; less common.
A Japanese proverb combining 酔い醒め (sobering up), 水 (water), 下戸 (teetotaler), and 知らず (not knowing). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects the traditional view that only those who have experienced drunkenness can truly appreciate the relief of drinking water when hungover.