二日酔い

• Reading: ふつかよい
• Romaji: futsukayoi
• Kanji breakdown: 二日 (two days/second day) + 酔い (drunkenness) → intoxication lasting into the next day
• Pronunciation: /ɸu.t͡su.ka.jo.i/

Meaning

Hangover — the unpleasant physical aftermath of drinking too much alcohol the night before.

A universally understood term literally meaning 'drunkenness lasting two days.' Japan has a rich culture of hangover remedies, from しじみの味噌汁 (clam miso soup) to ウコンの力 (turmeric drinks sold at convenience stores). The morning after heavy drinking, 二日酔い is one of the most commonly heard complaints among Japanese workers and social drinkers.

Examples

1. 昨日飲みすぎて二日酔いがひどい。 I drank too much yesterday and my hangover is brutal.
2. 二日酔いで午前中ずっと寝てた。 I was so hungover I slept the entire morning.
3. 二日酔いにはしじみの味噌汁がいいらしいよ。 Apparently clam miso soup is good for hangovers.

Usage Guide

Context: morning after, work, friends

Tone: miserable, regretful

Do Say

• 二日酔いで頭が割れそう。 (My head is splitting from this hangover.)
• 二日酔い対策に何かいい方法ない？ (Know any good hangover remedies?)

Don't Say

• 仕事中に大声で「二日酔いだ」と言うのはプロ意識に欠ける (Loudly announcing your hangover at work shows a lack of professionalism)

Common Mistakes

• Mispronouncing as にじゅうよい — the reading is ふつかよい, using the traditional counter for days

Origin & History

Traditional compound: 二日 (two days/the next day) + 酔い (drunkenness). Literally 'drunkenness that carries over to the second day.' Has been in use for centuries in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional term, used for centuries

Generation: All ages (legal drinking age 20+)

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Convenience stores stock hangover remedies prominently, reflecting how common the experience is.