アルコール

• Reading: アルコール
• Romaji: arukooru
• Pronunciation: /a.ɾɯ.koː.ɾɯ/

Meaning

Alcohol; an alcoholic substance. Used for both beverages and chemical/medical contexts.

Borrowed from Dutch 'alcohol.' Used in both everyday and scientific contexts. For alcoholic drinks, お酒 (osake) is more common in casual conversation, while アルコール is used in formal, medical, or regulatory contexts such as アルコール飲料 (alcoholic beverages) or ノンアルコール (non-alcoholic). Also refers to rubbing alcohol for disinfection.

Examples

1. アルコールは二十歳からです。 Alcohol is only allowed from age twenty.
2. 手をアルコールで消毒してください。 Please disinfect your hands with alcohol.
3. この飲み物はアルコールが入っていますか。 Does this drink contain alcohol?

Usage Guide

Context: health, beverages, regulations

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from Dutch 'alcohol,' which came from Arabic al-kuḥl (الكحل), originally meaning fine metallic powder for eye cosmetics, later extended to mean distilled substances.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal