toxin; poisonous substance
Refers to a toxic substance produced by living organisms, such as bacteria, plants, or animals. Also used figuratively for harmful influences.
This mushroom contains a strong toxin.
That mushroom contains a strong toxin.
Toxins produced by bacteria cause food poisoning.
It is said that sweating helps expel toxins.
An unbalanced diet can cause toxins to accumulate in the body.
This medicine works to neutralize snake toxin.
毒素 (a toxin) and 酵素 (an enzyme) sound and look similar because both end in 素, but they refer to opposite kinds of biological substances—harmful versus functional.
毒素 refers to a specific toxin substance itself, whereas 毒性 refers to the abstract property or degree of toxicity that a substance possesses.
Compound of 毒 (doku, 'poison') and 素 (so, 'element, factor'), literally 'poison element'. The term is a modern coinage for biological toxins.