noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
slight intoxication; tipsiness; mellowness
Describes a pleasant, mild drunkenness where one feels relaxed and cheerful but not heavily drunk. Often used in the phrase ほろ酔い気分.
ビール一杯でほろ酔いになった。
I got tipsy after just one beer.
ほろ酔い気分で散歩するのが好きだ。
I like taking a walk while feeling pleasantly tipsy.
ほろ酔い is a compound of the mimetic prefix ほろ (suggesting a light, gentle state) and 酔い (drunkenness). The exact origin of ほろ is uncertain, but it appears in other words like ほろ苦い (bittersweet) to indicate a mild degree.