sùzuì: 宿醉 - Hangover
Quick Summary
Keywords: sùzuì, 宿醉, Chinese for hangover, how to say hangover in Chinese, what is a hangover in Chinese, Chinese drinking culture, baijiu hangover, sù zuì, get drunk in Chinese.
Summary: Learn how to say “hangover” in Chinese with the essential term 宿醉 (sùzuì). This guide provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural significance within Chinese drinking culture. Discover practical example sentences and related vocabulary to talk about the morning after a night of drinking in authentic Mandarin Chinese.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): sùzuì
Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
HSK Level: N/A
Concise Definition: The physical illness and discomfort experienced the day after excessive alcohol consumption; a hangover.
In a Nutshell: 宿醉 (sùzuì) is the direct and most common way to say “hangover” in Mandarin. It perfectly describes the feeling of headache, nausea, and fatigue you experience the morning after drinking too much. It can be used as a noun (“a hangover”) or a verb-like state (“to be hungover”).
Character Breakdown
宿 (sù): This character's primary meaning is “to stay overnight” or “to lodge.” It can also mean “previous” or “of a former time.” In this context, it carries the sense of something leftover from the previous night.
醉 (zuì): This character means “drunk” or “intoxicated.” The radical on the left, 酉, is the radical for alcohol, originally a pictograph of a wine jar. This character explicitly points to intoxication from alcohol.
When combined, 宿醉 (sùzuì) literally translates to “overnight drunk” or “last night's drunkenness,” a very logical and descriptive term for the lingering effects of alcohol the next day.
Cultural Context and Significance
In China, drinking, particularly of 白酒 (báijiǔ), is often deeply integrated into business and social life, a phenomenon known as 酒桌文化 (jiǔzhuō wénhuà) or “drinking table culture.” Participating in toasts and drinking with clients, colleagues, or superiors is often seen as a way to build trust, show respect, and forge relationships (关系 guānxi). Refusing a drink can sometimes be interpreted as a slight.
Because of this, getting drunk is not always just about recreational fun; it can be a part of professional or social obligations. A 宿醉 (sùzuì), therefore, can be seen differently than in the West. While a hangover in America might be associated with a wild college party or a personal choice to overindulge, in China it can frequently be the unfortunate but necessary byproduct of a successful business dinner or an important banquet. Complaining about a hangover might even be a subtle way of communicating that you took your social duties seriously the night before.
Practical Usage in Modern China
宿醉 is a common word used in everyday conversation, online, and even in the workplace.
Informal Conversation: Friends will often complain to each other about their hangover symptoms using this word. It's a universal topic of conversation after a party or a big night out.
Workplace: It's not uncommon to hear someone mention they have a bit of a 宿醉, especially if they were out drinking with colleagues or a client the previous night. It can function as a light-hearted excuse for being a little slow or tired.
Social Media: People often post about their 宿醉 on WeChat Moments (朋友圈) or Weibo (微博), usually with a mix of humor and regret, perhaps sharing photos of their “hangover food.”
The connotation is inherently negative because it describes a bad physical feeling, but the context can imply a successful or fun social event preceded it.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我今天有点儿宿醉，头特别疼。
Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎnr sùzuì, tóu tèbié téng.
English: I'm a bit hungover today, my head really hurts.
Analysis: A simple, common way to state that you have a hangover and describe the primary symptom.
Example 2:
昨晚的派对太棒了，但今天的宿醉太难受了。
Pinyin: Zuówǎn de pàiduì tài bàng le, dàn jīntiān de sùzuì tài nánshòu le.
English: Last night's party was awesome, but today's hangover is unbearable.
Analysis: This sentence shows the classic cause-and-effect relationship. Here, 宿醉 is used clearly as a noun.
Example 3:
你有什么治宿醉的好方法吗？我想喝点热汤。
Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu shénme zhì sùzuì de hǎo fāngfǎ ma? Wǒ xiǎng hē diǎn rè tāng.
English: Do you have any good remedies for a hangover? I'm thinking of drinking some hot soup.
Analysis: Demonstrates how to ask for help or advice regarding a hangover. 治 (zhì) means “to cure.”
Example 4:
他今天早上没来上班，估计是昨天跟客户喝酒，宿醉了。
Pinyin: Tā jīntiān zǎoshang méi lái shàngbān, gūjì shì zuótiān gēn kèhù hējiǔ, sùzuì le.
English: He didn't come to work this morning; I guess he was drinking with a client yesterday and is hungover.
Analysis: This highlights the business context. The particle 了 (le) is used to indicate a new situation or a completed action (he “became” hungover).
Example 5:
我发誓再也不喝白酒了，每次都让我宿醉好几天。
Pinyin: Wǒ fāshì zàiyě bù hē báijiǔ le, měi cì dōu ràng wǒ sùzuì hǎo jǐ tiān.
English: I swear I'm never drinking baijiu again, it gives me a hangover for days every time.
Analysis: A classic statement of regret. The structure 让我 (ràng wǒ) means “makes me.”
Example 6:
严重的宿醉让我一整天什么都吃不下。
Pinyin: Yánzhòng de sùzuì ràng wǒ yī zhěng tiān shénme dōu chī bú xià.
English: A severe hangover made me unable to eat anything all day.
Analysis: 严重 (yánzhòng) means “severe,” a useful adjective to describe a particularly bad hangover.
Example 7:
为了避免宿醉，喝酒前最好吃点东西。
Pinyin: Wèile bìmiǎn sùzuì, hējiǔ qián zuìhǎo chī diǎn dōngxi.
English: In order to avoid a hangover, it's best to eat something before drinking.
Analysis: 避免 (bìmiǎn) means “to avoid,” showing how to talk about preventing a hangover.
Example 8:
你看他那个没精神的样子，肯定是宿醉还没醒。
Pinyin: Nǐ kàn tā nàge méi jīngshén de yàngzi, kěndìng shì sùzuì hái méi xǐng.
English: Look at how lethargic he is, he definitely hasn't recovered from his hangover yet.
Analysis: Literally, “hangover still not awake.” This is a colloquial way to say someone is still feeling the effects.
Example 9:
他整个上午都在宿醉中度过，什么工作都没做。
Pinyin: Tā zhěnggè shàngwǔ dōu zài sùzuì zhōng dùguò, shénme gōngzuò dōu méi zuò.
English: He spent the entire morning in a state of hangover and didn't do any work.
Analysis: The structure 在…中度过 (zài…zhōng dùguò) means “to spend time in (a state).” It treats 宿醉 as a condition.
Example 10:
年轻的时候不怕宿醉，现在宿醉一次，感觉要恢复一个星期。
Pinyin: Niánqīng de shíhou búpà sùzuì, xiànzài sùzuì yīcì, gǎnjué yào huīfù yīge xīngqī.
English: When I was young, I wasn't afraid of hangovers, but now when I get hungover once, I feel like it takes a week to recover.
Analysis: A common lament about getting older, very relatable for many learners.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
The most common mistake for learners is confusing 宿醉 (sùzuì) with 喝醉 (hē zuì).
喝醉 (hē zuì): Means “to be drunk” or “to get drunk.” It describes the state of intoxication during or immediately after drinking.
宿醉 (sùzuì): Means “to have a hangover.” It describes the state of illness the day after drinking.
Think of it as a timeline:
1. You go to a party and 喝醉 (hē zuì).
2. You wake up the next morning with a 宿醉 (sùzuì).
Incorrect Usage:
Correct Usage:
喝醉 (hē zuì) - To get drunk. This is the direct cause of a
宿醉.
酒桌文化 (jiǔzhuō wénhuà) - The “drinking table culture” in China, especially in business, that often leads to heavy drinking.
应酬 (yìngchóu) - A social engagement, often obligatory for work, where drinking is a central activity.
白酒 (báijiǔ) - A very strong Chinese liquor, famous for causing particularly intense hangovers.
干杯 (gānbēi) - “Cheers!” or more literally “dry the glass.” A common phrase used in toasts that encourages finishing one's drink.
解酒 (jiě jiǔ) - To sober up or to relieve a hangover. Refers to hangover cures or remedies (e.g., 解酒汤 - hangover-curing soup).
断片儿 (duànpiānr) - (Colloquial Slang) To have a blackout from drinking; to not remember what happened.
头疼 (tóuténg) - Headache. One of the most common symptoms of a
宿醉.
恶心 (ěxīn) - Nausea; to feel sick. Another primary symptom.
酒量 (jiǔliàng) - Alcohol tolerance; “drinking capacity.” Someone with a high 酒量 might be less likely to get a
宿醉.