also: おにごろし
strong sake; firewater; rotgut
Colloquial term for very strong, harsh, or cheap sake; often used humorously or with a sense of warning about its potency.
This sake is so strong it's called 'demon killer'.
I ordered a cup of 'demon killer' at the izakaya and choked on it.
Standard kanji spelling; literally 'demon killer'.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling, sometimes used for a softer or more playful look.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling with voiced reading, less common.
Compound of 鬼 (oni, 'demon') and 殺し (koroshi, 'killing'), literally 'demon killer'. The term is a metaphorical nickname for extremely strong sake, implying it is potent enough to fell even a demon.