Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of life and mother. Poison of birth mother.
Symbolism
Poison, addiction, toxic. Represents poison.
Component Breakdown
龶 + 母
Words & Expressions
Words written with 毒
Four-Character Compounds
以毒制毒
いどくせいどく
using poisonous medication to control poison; fighting evil with evil; fighting fire with fire
Proverbs & Idioms
毒を食らわば皿まで
どくをくらわばさらまで
If you've eaten poison, lick the plate
In for a penny, in for a pound
Anime & Manga
名探偵コナン
Detective Conan
Detective manga solving 'poison' murder cases.
Games
逆転裁判
Ace Attorney(2001)
Developer: Capcom
Courtroom game solving various cases including 'poisoning.'
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 毒 mean in Japanese?
毒 means poison, virus, venom, germ, harm, injury, spite.
How do you read 毒?
On'yomi: ドク (DOKU).
How many strokes does 毒 have?
毒 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 毋 (do not).
Is 毒 a good kanji for a tattoo?
毒 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means poison, virus, venom, germ, harm, injury, spite. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.