- 知章zhī zhāng
- Zhizhang: He Zhizhang, a Tang poet who loved wine and was free-spirited. He came from Zhejiang, where people were used to boats.知章：贺知章，唐代诗人，喜欢喝酒，为人豪放。他是浙江人，那里的人习惯坐船。
- 似乘船sì chéng chuán
- sì chéng chuán: drunk on horseback, swaying as if on a boat.似乘船：喝醉了骑在马上摇摇晃晃，像坐船一样。
- 眼花yǎn huā
- yǎn huā: blurry-eyed from drink.眼花：喝醉了眼睛看不清。
- 水底眠shuǐ dǐ mián
- shuǐ dǐ mián: falling into a well and simply sleeping at the bottom. It is a playful exaggeration.水底眠：掉进井里，竟然就在井底睡着了。这是夸张的说法。
- 汝阳rǔ yáng
- Ruyang: Li Jin, the Prince of Ruyang, a nephew of Emperor Xuanzong.汝阳：汝阳王李琎，唐玄宗的侄子。
- 三斗sān dǒu
- sān dǒu: three measures of wine. A dǒu is a wine vessel.三斗：喝了三斗酒。斗，盛酒的器具。
- 朝天cháo tiān
- cháo tiān: to go to court to see the emperor.朝天：去朝见皇帝。
- 曲车qū chē
- qū chē: a cart of wine yeast, the stuff used to make wine, which smells of wine.曲车：装着酒曲的车。酒曲是用来酿酒的东西，闻起来有酒香。
- 流涎liú xián
- liú xián: to drool.流涎：流口水。
- 移封yí fēng
- yí fēng: to move one's fief. Princes long ago were given land of their own to rule.移封：把封地换到别处。古代王爷有自己的封地。
- 酒泉jiǔ quán
- Jiuquan: "Wine Spring", a place in today's Gansu. Legend says a spring there tasted like wine.酒泉：酒泉郡，在今甘肃。传说那里城下有泉，泉水像酒一样。
- 左相zuǒ xiàng
- zuǒ xiàng: Li Shizhi, Chief Minister of the Left, a high official at court.左相：左丞相李适之，是朝中的大官。
- 日兴rì xìng
- rì xìng: his daily urge to drink.日兴：每天的酒兴。
- 长鲸cháng jīng
- cháng jīng: a huge whale.长鲸：巨大的鲸鱼。
- 百川bǎi chuān
- bǎi chuān: a hundred rivers.百川：许多条河流。
- 衔杯xián bēi
- xián bēi: holding a cup to the lips, drinking.衔杯：嘴里含着酒杯，就是喝酒。
- 乐圣lè shèng
- lè shèng: enjoying clear wine. People long ago jokingly called clear wine a sage and cloudy wine a worthy man.乐圣：喜欢喝清酒。古人把清酒叫“圣人”，浊酒叫“贤人”。
- 称避贤chēng bì xián
- chēng bì xián: saying he stepped aside for worthier men. Li Shizhi lost his post to a rival and wrote a poem saying he had stepped down "to make way for the worthy" and would now enjoy his cup. The line borrows his words, with a pun: he "avoids" cloudy wine too.称避贤：说自己是给贤人让位。李适之被人排挤丢了相位，写诗说“避贤初罢相，乐圣且衔杯”，这里借用他的话，也有双关：不喝浊酒（贤人）。
- 宗之zōng zhī
- Zongzhi: Cui Zongzhi, a young nobleman of the time.宗之：崔宗之，当时的一位贵族青年。
- 潇洒xiāo sǎ
- xiāo sǎ: easy, natural and carefree.潇洒：自然大方，不拘束。
- 觞shāng
- shāng: a wine cup.觞：酒杯。
- 白眼bái yǎn
- bái yǎn: rolling the eyes up to show the whites, a sign of looking down on ordinary worldly people.白眼：眼睛向上翻，露出眼白，表示看不起世俗的人。
- 皎jiǎo
- jiǎo: bright and pure white.皎：洁白明亮。
- 玉树临风yù shù lín fēng
- yù shù lín fēng: like a jade tree in the wind; describes a handsome, graceful young man.玉树临风：像玉做的树站在风里，形容人长得好看、风度好。
- 苏晋sū jìn
- Su Jin: an official of the time who followed Buddhism.苏晋：当时的一位官员，信佛。
- 长斋cháng zhāi
- cháng zhāi: keeping a meatless diet for a long time.长斋：长期吃素。
- 绣佛xiù fó
- xiù fó: an embroidered image of the Buddha.绣佛：用丝线绣成的佛像。
- 逃禅táo chán
- táo chán: escaping the Buddhist rules. Buddhism forbids wine, but when he got drunk he forgot the rules.逃禅：逃离佛门的戒律。佛教不许喝酒，他喝醉了就把戒律忘了。
- 一斗诗百篇yì dǒu shī bǎi piān
- yì dǒu shī bǎi piān: one measure of wine, a hundred poems. A playful way to say how fast his talent flowed.一斗诗百篇：喝一斗酒，就能写一百首诗。夸张地说李白才思敏捷。
- 天子呼来不上船tiān zǐ hū lái bú shàng chuán
- tiān zǐ hū lái bú shàng chuán: the emperor called him, and he was too drunk to board the boat. Legend says Emperor Xuanzong was boating in the palace and summoned Li Bai to write, but Li Bai was already drunk.天子呼来不上船：皇帝叫他去，他醉得上不了船。传说唐玄宗在宫中游船，召李白来写文章，李白已经醉了。
- 张旭zhāng xù
- Zhang Xu: a Tang calligrapher, best at the cursive style.张旭：唐代书法家，最擅长草书。
- 草圣cǎo shèng
- cǎo shèng: the sage of cursive script. Cursive is a fast, flowing style of handwriting with joined strokes.草圣：写草书的圣手。草书是一种写得很快、连笔很多的书法。
- 脱帽露顶tuō mào lù dǐng
- tuō mào lù dǐng: taking off his hat and baring his head, which was very rude before great lords long ago. It shows that drunk, he cared nothing for manners.脱帽露顶：摘下帽子，露出头顶。古人在大官面前这样做是很不礼貌的，说明他醉后不拘礼节。
- 王公wáng gōng
- wáng gōng: princes and high officials.王公：王爷和大官。
- 挥毫huī háo
- huī háo: wielding the writing brush.挥毫：挥动毛笔写字。
- 如云烟rú yún yān
- rú yún yān: the characters flow from his brush like clouds and mist.如云烟：笔下的字像云烟一样飞动。
- 焦遂jiāo suì
- Jiao Sui: a commoner who never held office, known for drinking and for brilliant talk.焦遂：一个普通百姓，没做过官，以能喝酒、会说话出名。
- 卓然zhuó rán
- zhuó rán: lively and standing out from everyone.卓然：精神焕发、与众不同的样子。
- 雄辩xióng biàn
- xióng biàn: powerful, convincing argument.雄辩：很有力、很有说服力的辩论。
- 四筵sì yán
- sì yán: all the guests around the feast. Yán means a feast.四筵：满座的客人。筵，酒席。