酒鬼

• Pinyin: jiǔ guǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 酒 = 氵(water) + 酉 (wine vessel); 鬼 = pictograph of a ghost or spirit

Meaning

Drunkard; alcoholic. A person who drinks excessively.

Carries a negative connotation, implying someone who is habitually drunk or addicted to alcohol. Can be used seriously to describe someone with a drinking problem, or playfully among friends to tease someone who enjoys drinking.

Examples

1. 他爸爸是个酒鬼，经常喝得烂醉回家。 His father is a drunkard who often comes home completely wasted.
2. 别做酒鬼了，你已经喝了三杯啤酒了。 Stop being such a drunkard; you've already had three beers.
3. 这条街上有个酒鬼，每天晚上都在路边喝酒。 There's a drunkard on this street who drinks by the roadside every night.

Usage Guide

Context: colloquial, family, friends

Tone: negative/playful

Do Say

• 你这个酒鬼，又想喝酒了？(You drunkard, want to drink again?)
• 他年轻时是个酒鬼，后来戒酒了。(He was an alcoholic when young but quit later.)

Don't Say

• 在正式场合或对陌生人说'你是酒鬼'。(Don't call someone 酒鬼 in formal settings or to strangers — it's offensive)

Origin & History

酒 (jiǔ, alcohol/wine) + 鬼 (guǐ, ghost/devil). The character 鬼 is often used colloquially to describe someone obsessed with or addicted to something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal