HSK · Level 9
135 words
Chinese word
毒
Pronunciation
Pinyindú
Meaning
- nounpoison
Example
这鱼有毒，不要吃。zhè yú yǒu dú bú yào chī
This fish contains poison, so don't eat it.
More examples
孩子误食了桌上的毒药，送医院抢救。hái zi wù shí le zhuō shàng de dú yào sòng yī yuàn qiǎng jiù
After accidentally swallowing the poison on the table, the child was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Core concept
Something harmful in an edible or living thing that turns eating or contact into a health risk.
Common phrases
毒药dú yào
poison
解毒剂jiě dú jì
detoxifying agent
Similar words
毒药dú yào: A poisonous drug or chemical used to harm a person or animal.
毒素dú sù: A harmful chemical made by bacteria, plants, or animals that may poison even in small amounts.
毒性dú xìng: The degree to which a substance can harm or poison a living thing.
毒品dú pǐn: An illegal, addictive drug such as a narcotic or mind-altering medicine.
Definition in Chinese
指能通过摄入、接触或吸入等方式引起中毒的物质或成分，常用于标示食品、植物或动物的不宜食用性。zhǐ néng tōng guò shè rù jiē chù huò xī rù děng fāng shì yín qǐ zhòng dú de wù zhì huò chéng fèn cháng yòng yú biāo shì shí pǐn zhí wù huò dòng wù de bù yí shí yòng xìng
Word origin
毒 (dú, "poison") appears in early Chinese as a word for poisonous substances and harmful effects, and later usage keeps the focus on things that cause poisoning.
Usage tips
- In everyday Chinese, the word can mark danger before anyone knows its exact chemical identity, which makes it useful for warnings about food, plants, and animals.
Opposites
- 解药jiě yàoantidotenoun
Related words
- 毒药dú yàopoisonnoun
- 解毒剂jiě dú jìantidotenoun
- 毒害dú hàipoisoningnoun