NoCapWiki editorial explanation
1. What does it mean?
알쓰 blends 알코올 with 쓰레기 to describe somebody who cannot handle much alcohol. The literal construction is insulting, but friends may use it jokingly about themselves: '나 알쓰야' means roughly 'I can't hold my liquor.' It describes perceived drinking tolerance, not a medical condition.
Also written or said as 술을 잘 못 마시다, can't hold one's liquor, alsseu
2. The nuance
Self-description is safer than assigning the label to somebody else. Another person may find it belittling, especially if it becomes pressure to drink more. '술을 잘 못 마셔요' is a neutral alternative and can also mean that someone simply does not drink much. Compare 혼술, drinking alone, and 소맥, a drink mixture: neither word says anything about a person's tolerance. Do not interpret 알쓰 as permission to test someone's limit or as a reason to dismiss a refusal.
3. Examples
“나 알쓰라서 오늘은 탄산수 마실게.”
I don't handle alcohol well, so I'll have sparkling water today.
“친구가 알쓰라고 해도 술을 권할 이유는 없지.”
Even if a friend says they can't handle alcohol, that's no reason to push a drink on them.
Sources
References support the meaning and usage. Example sentences are written for NoCapWiki.
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