Meanings Jump to a sense… 1. poison; toxic substance 2. harm; bad influence; corrupting influence 3. malice; spite; venom 4. abusive language; verbal barbs Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 に 毒どく が 入はい っている something contains poison
This drink contains poison.
〈 事こと 〉 は 〈 人ひと 〉 に 毒どく だ something is bad/harmful for someone
Staying up late is bad for your health.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 言こと 葉ば には 毒どく がある someone's words have a spiteful edge
There's a sting in her words.
毒どく を 飲の む to drink/ingest poison
He drank poison and killed himself.
Expressions· 14 お 気き の 毒どく に my sympathies; that's too bad; my condolences 目め の 毒どく temptation; too good to resist; something one shouldn't see · harmful to the eyes; bad for one's eyes お 気き の 毒どく I'm sorry to hear that; that's a pity 毒どく のある poisonous; toxic; noxious · malicious; spiteful; hurtful 毒どく を 吐は く spew venom; say nasty things Show 3 more Show fewer 毒どく を 盛も る poison (food/drink); administer poison 毒どく 牙が にかかる fall victim to; get into the clutches of See all 14 in Explore →
Related words· 8 害 is a broad word for harm or damage in general, while 毒 specifically implies a poisonous or toxic quality behind that harm.
悪意 names the malicious intent directly, while 毒 describes the venomous, biting quality that shows up in words or attitude.
毒舌 is the full word for sharp, sarcastic speech, while 毒 alone is only an elliptical stand-in for it in casual contexts.
毒 is the plain noun for 'poison/toxin' itself, while 有毒 is the adjective describing something as poisonous.
Show 4 more Show fewer 毒 is the broad, everyday word for poison, toxin, or venom, while 毒薬 specifically means a poisonous drug or substance meant to harm or kill.
毒 is the general noun for 'poison' or 'venom' itself, while 毒性 refers to the degree or property of being poisonous.
毒 is the broad, everyday word for poison or venom, while 毒素 is the more technical term for a toxin produced by a living organism.
毒 is the general word for poison in any form, whereas 毒ガス specifically denotes poison in gaseous form.
Opposites 無毒 means non-toxic or harmless, the direct opposite of 毒 in its literal sense of a poisonous substance.
薬 heals or helps the body, while 毒 harms or poisons it—often contrasted in phrases like 薬にも毒にもなる .
Word family· 122 poisoning · addiction; hooked on
pitiful; poor; unfortunate; miserable · sorry to have inconvenienced someone; regrettable; inexcusable
disinfection; sterilization
toxicity; virulence · toxic; virulent; poisonous
toxin; poisonous substance
Show 25 more Show fewer syphilis
poison gas
poisonous; toxic
sharp tongue; wicked tongue; abusive language
poisonous substance; toxic substance; poison
poisoning to death; killing by poison
deadly poison; virulent poison
detoxification; neutralizing poison
poison; poisonous drug
venomous snake; poisonous snake
nonpoisonous; nontoxic; harmless
poison fang · sinister ways; crooked means; clutches
chameleon plant; Houttuynia cordata
poisonous air; poisonous gas; toxic fumes · poisonous ingredient; toxic nature; toxicity · malice; spite; ill will
taking poison; poisoning oneself
poisoned arrow; poisoned dart
venom; poisonous liquid
poisonous-looking; venomous-looking · hateful; detestable; loathsome · gaudy; garish; loud
poisonous plant
gasproofing; protection against poison gas
tasting for poison; poison-checking · taste-checking; sampling the flavor
harm; evil; poison; blight; harmful influence
poisonous insect
mine pollution; mining pollution
dirty trick; underhanded move
See all 122 in Explore →
Written forms 毒どく Usage 99%
Standard and common kanji spelling for both literal poison and metaphorical harmfulness or malice.
どく Usage 1%
ドク Usage <1%
Etymology Sino-Japanese noun read どく with the standard kanji 毒 . The literal meaning is poison, from which the metaphorical senses of harm, malice, and verbal venom naturally extend.
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