“poison” in Japanese is 毒, read doku (どく). It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 毒薬 (poison, toxic drug).
What does 毒 mean?
この草には毒がある。
| Kanji | 毒 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | poison |
| Readings | どく |
| Grade | Grade 5 (Hard) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 毒薬 (poison, toxic drug) |
毒 is read doku (どく) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: