‘醉汉’ literally combines 醉 (zuì), meaning 'intoxicated' or 'drunk', and 汉 (hàn), meaning 'man' or 'male person'. Together, it refers specifically to a man who is visibly intoxicated—often stumbling, slurring speech, or behaving erratically due to excessive alcohol consumption. It carries a mildly negative or disapproving connotation, implying loss of control and social impropriety.

The term is commonly used in everyday spoken and written Chinese to describe such individuals in public settings—like streets, bars, or transportation hubs—and appears frequently in news reports, cautionary stories, or humorous anecdotes. While gender-neutral terms like ‘酒鬼’ (jiǔguǐ, 'alcohol addict') exist, ‘醉汉’ emphasizes the temporary, observable state of drunkenness rather than habitual drinking. It is not used for women; the counterpart ‘醉妇’ is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.