覚醒剤・覚せい剤|かくせいざいkakuseizai[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

Common

Which spelling to use

覚醒剤覚醒剤 is the more common written form and consists entirely of kanji; use it when writing about stimulants such as methamphetamine or Ritalin.

覚せい剤覚せい剤 is a less common variant written with kanji and kana. Recognize it when reading, but choose 覚醒剤 for your own writing.

Definitions

nounstimulant (e.g. psychoactive drugs like methamphetamine, ritalin, etc.)

Synonyms & antonyms

RelatedシャブCasualSlang or argot for methamphetamine; unlike the formal legal name 「覚醒剤」, this is strictly colloquial.
Antonym鎮静剤ちんせいざいWrittenA drug that suppresses nerve excitement, the opposite of the stimulating 「覚醒剤」; a written-style term.
Antonym催眠剤さいみんざいWrittenA sleeping pill that induces sleep — its effect is the reverse of 「覚醒剤」's stimulation; a written-style term.

Use 「覚醒剤」 for stimulants such as methamphetamine in legal or neutral contexts; 「シャブ」 is the colloquial slang for the same drugs. 「鎮静剤」 (sedative) and 「催眠剤」 (sleeping pill) work in the opposite direction and cannot replace it.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions

（広義こうぎ　まれ）中枢ちゅうすう神経しんけいを興奮こうふんさせ、覚醒かくせい作用さようをもたらす薬物やくぶつ。
（狭義きょうぎ　法律ほうりつ）フェニルアミノプロパン（アンフェタミン）、フェニルメチルアミノプロパン（メタンフェタミン）、及およびその塩類えんるいやそれらを含有がんゆうする薬物やくぶつ。覚醒剤かくせいざい取締とりしまり法ほうで規制きせいされている。

Kanji in this word

覚醒剤

Say it right, write it right