迎(むか)え酒(ざけ)

The practice of drinking more alcohol to relieve a hangover. The name literally means "welcoming sake" — the idea being that you greet the hangover with more drink. This folk remedy is widely known in Japan but generally considered medically inadvisable.

Common collocations

• 迎(むか)え酒(ざけ)をする: to have hair of the dog
• 迎(むか)え酒(ざけ)に手(て)を出(だ)す: to reach for hair of the dog

Cultural note

The concept is similar to the English expression "hair of the dog that bit you." In Japan's drinking culture, where 飲(の)み会(かい) (drinking parties) are common, hangovers and their folk remedies are a familiar topic of conversation.