酔う

/wepu/ → /wefu/ → /jefu/ → */jewu/ → */jowu/ → /jou/

Shift from classical verb 酔ふ (efu → eu), possibly parsed as jefu, itself from Old Japanese 酔ふ (wepu → wefu → eu).[1][2]

Compare the development of 葉 (efu → yō, “leaf”, on-yomi or Chinese-derived reading).

• (Tokyo) よ​う [yóꜜù] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
• IPA^(key): [jo̞ɯ̟ᵝ]

酔(よ)う • (you) ^{←よふ (yofu)?}intransitive godan (stem 酔(よ)い (yoi), past 酔(よ)った (yotta))

1. to get drunk, become intoxicated or inebriated, fall under the influence of alcohol

   酒(さけ)に酔(よ)って暴(あば)れる

   sake ni yotte abareru

   to get drunk and become violent

   Synonyms: 酩酊する (meitei suru), 酔いが回る (yoi ga mawaru), 酔っ払う (yopparau)

2. (figuratively) to become drunk or intoxicated (exhilarated) by something

   夜(や)景(けい)に酔(よ)う

   yakei ni you

   to get lost in the night scene

3. to get motion sickness (as in carsick, airsick, seasick, etc.)

   乗(の)り物(もの)に酔(よ)う

   norimono ni you

   to get motion-sick on a vehicle

4. to get addicted

   Synonym: 中毒する (chūdoku suru)

5. (archaic) to get poisoned (from eating meat or fish)

   Synonym: 中毒する (chūdoku suru)

6. (archaic) to get distracted by charm

• 酒(さけ)の酔(よ)い本性(ほんしょう)違(たが)わず (sake no yoi honshō tagawazu)
• 酒(さけ)の酔(よ)い本性(ほんしょう)忘(わす)れず (sake no yoi honshō wasurezu)

• 酒(さけ) (sake): alcoholic beverage
• 深酒(ふかざけ) (fukazake)

Regular development of wepu. In the colloquial language, wepu developed into you, so eu is now only used in reading ancient texts.

• IPA^(key): [e̞ɯ̟ᵝ]

酔(え)う • (eu) ^{←ゑふ (wefu)?}

1. Synonym of 酔う (you, “to get drunk”)