poison, virus, venom, germ, harm, injury, spite
毒 centers on a harmful substance or influence that damages health or well-being: poison, venom, germs, or malicious spite.
毒 is traditionally explained as combining 龶 (a plant or sprout) with 母 (mother), suggesting a harmful plant or substance. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the idea of a poisonous plant is a common interpretation.
A sprouting plant (龶) above a mother (母) suggests a mother plant that is poisonous. Imagine a beautiful but deadly plant that harms anyone who touches it.
For ドク, imagine a doctor (ドクター) warning you about a poisonous plant: 'Doc' (ドク) says, 'Don't touch that plant—it's poison!'
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poison; toxicant
poisoning
pitiful; unfortunate; poor; miserable; wretched
disinfection; sterilization; sterilisation
toxicity; virulence
food poisoning
toxin; poisonous substance
syphilis
poison gas
poisonous; toxic
wicked tongue; sharp tongue; abusive language
poisonous substance; toxic substance; poison
killing by poisoning; killing with poison; poisoning (to death)
deadly poison
detoxification; counteracting poison; neutralizing poison
poison
venomous snake; poisonous snake
nonpoisonous; nontoxic; harmless
poison fang
poisonous air; poisonous gas; poisonous vapour