酒は百薬の長

Japanese

Kanji in this term
酒	百	薬	長
さけ Grade: 3	ひゃく Grade: 1	やく Grade: 3	ちょう Grade: 2
kun’yomi	on’yomi

Alternative spelling
酒は百藥の長 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Compound of 酒 +‎ は +‎ 百薬 +‎ の +‎ 長, literally "sake is the best medicine"

Proverb

酒(さけ)は百(ひゃく)薬(やく)の長(ちょう) • (sake wa hyakuyaku no chō) 

1. good wine makes good blood; sake is the best of all medicines; drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is better than medicine