辛党(からとう)

からとう
noun
lover of alcohol; lover of spicy food
personalityfood
1. a person who prefers alcohol to sweets; a drinker
traditionally, someone who enjoys drinking alcohol rather than eating sweet things
My grandfather is a drinker and has a drink every evening.
I prefer alcohol to sweets, so I don't eat many sweet things.
甘党(あまとう)と辛党(からとう)では、好(この)みがまったく違(ちが)う。
People who prefer sweets and those who prefer alcohol have completely different tastes.
2. a person who loves spicy food
in modern usage, someone who enjoys spicy or hot-flavored foods
Since I love spicy food, I tried the super-spicy ramen.
I made spicy food for my friend who loves spicy things.
He loves spicy food, so he puts chili on everything.
This restaurant is a curry specialty shop popular with spicy food lovers.

Etymology

辛(から)い + 党(とう) (party, group). Historically, 辛(から)い in this context meant "not sweet" rather than "spicy." The word referred to people who preferred 酒(さけ) (sake) over 甘(あま)いもの (sweets). This is why 辛党(からとう) was the opposite of 甘党(あまとう).

Usage

Today, many people interpret 辛党(からとう) as "spicy food lover" due to the common meaning of 辛(から)い (spicy). Both usages are now common, so the context decides: 辛党(からとう) with 晩酌(ばんしゃく) or 酒(さけ) means a drinker, with 激辛(げきから) or カレー a lover of spicy food.

Similar words

  • 甘党(あまとう): the opposite in the traditional pairing, someone who prefers sweets to alcohol

Related words