酒気帯(しゅきお)び

Composed of 酒気(しゅき) (the smell/presence of alcohol) and 帯(お)び (wearing, having on one's person). A legal and traffic-related term describing the state of having a detectable amount of alcohol in one's body. In Japanese traffic law, this is distinguished from 酔(よ)っ払(ぱら)い運転(うんてん) (drunk driving), which implies a higher level of intoxication.

Usage

Almost always appears in compound form:

• 酒気帯(しゅきお)び運転(うんてん): driving under the influence (DUI)

Common collocations

• 酒気帯(しゅきお)び運転(うんてん): driving under the influence
• 酒気帯(しゅきお)びの状態(じょうたい): state of having alcohol in one's system
• 酒気帯(しゅきお)び検査(けんさ): alcohol breath test

Legal note

Japanese law distinguishes between 酒気帯(しゅきお)び運転(うんてん) (driving with alcohol detected, BAC 0.15mg/L or more) and 酒酔(しゅよ)い運転(うんてん) (driving while intoxicated, based on impaired ability). The penalties for 酒酔(しゅよ)い運転(うんてん) are more severe.

Similar words

• 飲酒(いんしゅ)運転(うんてん): drunk driving — a general term covering any alcohol-impaired driving
• 酒酔(しゅよ)い運転(うんてん): driving while intoxicated — more severe legal category
• 酔(よ)っ払(ぱら)い: drunkard, drunk person — colloquial, not a legal term