左党(さとう)

さとう
noun
drinker; sake lover; person who prefers alcohol over sweet things
foodpersonality
1. drinker; sake lover; person who favors alcohol
A person who enjoys drinking alcohol, especially sake. Contrasted with people who prefer sweets. Used in a lighthearted or self-deprecating way.
父(ちち)は根(ね)っからの左党(さとう)だ。
My father is a drinker through and through.
デザートより酒(さけ)が好(す)きな左党(さとう)の人(ひと)も多(おお)い。
There are many drinkers who prefer alcohol over dessert.
左党(さとう)の彼(かれ)にケーキを贈(おく)っても喜(よろこ)ばれないだろう。
Giving cake to him, a confirmed drinker, probably won't make him happy.

Literally 'left party' (左(さ) = left, 党(とう) = party, group). Its counterpart is 右党(うとう), a person who prefers sweets to alcohol.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 甘党(あまとう): person with a sweet tooth — the counterpart of 左党(さとう); a person who prefers sweets over alcohol
  • 酒好(さけず)き: sake lover — a more straightforward and common term for someone who likes drinking
  • 飲兵衛(のんべえ): heavy drinker — more informal and slightly pejorative; implies drinking too much

Usage

This word is a homophone of 砂糖(さとう) (sugar) and the surname 佐藤(さとう). The kanji make the meaning clear in writing. The word has a slightly old-fashioned or literary flavor and is more commonly encountered in written descriptions than in everyday conversation.

Related Words

Compare: 甘党(あまとう) (person with a sweet tooth)
Compare: 酒好(さけず)き (sake lover)
Antonym: 右党(うとう) (tea drinker)
general
Added 2026.4.12 16:45 · Revised 2026.10.1 17:11
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