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March 24, 2026
毒dú(du2)
The character 毒 (dú) primarily means 'poison' or 'venom,' and it can also refer to something that is harmful or malicious. It is commonly used in contexts related to toxic substances, both in a literal sense (like poisonous plants) and a metaphorical sense (like malicious behavior). In everyday language, it can describe anything that has a negative or harmful influence.
Strokes9Radical母Frequency#1882DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'poison' (毒) is often used to describe imbalances in the body, and it is believed that certain foods can have 'poisonous' effects on health. This reflects a broader understanding of health being tied to balance and harmony.
Memory Tip
Imagine a dark, swirling cloud of smoke that represents poison (毒) hovering over a person, representing danger. The character has a 'sickness' radical on the left (病), indicating something harmful, and a 'speaking' radical on the right (言), suggesting that poison can also come from words or intentions.
Meanings of 毒
dú(du2)
1poison
2to poison
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 毒
毒Simplified
9Strokes
母Radical
状态词zganv (stat.)Part of Speech
#1882Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 毒
Podcast: 毒
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AI Study Notes for 毒
Quick Contrast
毒 (dú, poison) vs 毁 (huǐ, destroy) — use 毒 when referring specifically to harmful substances, while 毁 implies causing damage or destruction.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a dark, swirling cloud of smoke that represents poison (毒) hovering over a person, representing danger. The character has a 'sickness' radical on the left (病), indicating something harmful, and a 'speaking' radical on the right (言), suggesting that poison can also come from words or intentions.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the use of 毒 in formal contexts; it can come across as very strong or aggressive. Common collocations include 毒药 (dú yào, poison medicine) and 毒蛇 (dú shé, venomous snake). Learners often confuse 毒 with similar-sounding words like 督 (dū), which means to supervise.
HSK Study Tips
While 毒 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, its usage is relevant for learners at HSK 4 and above, especially in discussions about health, safety, and morality. Focus on using it in both literal and metaphorical contexts to enrich vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'poison' (毒) is often used to describe imbalances in the body, and it is believed that certain foods can have 'poisonous' effects on health. This reflects a broader understanding of health being tied to balance and harmony.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 毒 when they mean 'toxic' in a general sense. For example, saying '这是毒的环境' (This is a poisonous environment) should be corrected to '这是有毒的环境' (This is a toxic environment).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 毒
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Grammar Patterns of 毒
毒 carries 8 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Hackers are said to have started a computer virus.
8
他将因毒品交易的指控受到军法审判。
tā jiāng yīn dú pǐn jiāo yì de zhǐ kòng shòu dào jūn fǎ shěn pàn。
He is due to face a court-martial on drugs charges.
9
我们服的药相对来说药性温和，但是我们却在把它们变成毒药。
wǒ mén fú de yào xiāng duì lái shuō yào xìng wēn hé， ， dàn shì wǒ mén què zài bǎ tā mén biàn chéng dú。
We're taking relatively benign medicines and we're turning them into poisons.
10
他在受着毒品毒副作用影响的同时还出现了休克。
tā zài shòu zháo dú pǐn dú fù zuò yòng yǐng xiǎng de tóng shí huán chū xiàn le xiū kè。
He was suffering from shock as well as the after-effects of drugs.
Exercise 1 of 1
Reorder the Sentence
I was determined not to succumb to the virus.
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Cultural Notes for 毒
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'poison' (毒) is often used to describe imbalances in the body, and it is believed that certain foods can have 'poisonous' effects on health. This reflects a broader understanding of health being tied to balance and harmony.
Word Family of 毒
Compounds4
碡du2stone roller
纛dao4banner, streamer
蝳
瑇
Words Containing This Character20
毒dúpoison
病毒bìngdúvirus
毒品dúpǐndrugs
吸毒xīdúto take drugs
中毒zhòngdúpoisoning
消毒xiāodúto disinfect
有毒yǒudúpoisonous
毒气poison gas毒氣
毒贩drug dealer毒販
毒性toxicity
毒素poison
贩毒drugs trade販毒
毒药poison毒藥
戒毒to kick a drug habit
恶毒malicious惡毒
毒蛇viper
禁毒drug prohibition
下毒to poison
缉毒drug enforcement緝毒
毒物poison
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 碡 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 毒
Synonyms for 毒 (dú) include 有毒 (yǒudú), meaning 'toxic,' and 毒害 (dúhài), which means 'to poison or harm.' These terms can help expand your understanding of related concepts in Chinese.
Yes, 毒 (dú) can be used in everyday conversation, especially when discussing food safety, health, or describing someone’s harsh behavior. It’s important for learners to know how to appropriately use this term in different contexts.
毒 (dú) means 'poison' in Chinese. It can refer to toxic substances, as well as describe something that is malicious or cruel. In a broader sense, it conveys the idea of something harmful or dangerous.
毒 (dú) can be used in various contexts, such as describing a poisonous substance or someone's cruel behavior. For example, you might say '这酒里有毒' (This wine is poisoned) or '他的言辞很毒' (His words are very cruel). Understanding its usage can enrich your vocabulary in expressing harmful actions or substances.
It is pronounced as 'dú' with a rising tone.
Yes, it can describe malicious behavior or harmful influences, not just physical poison.
Common phrases include 毒药 (dú yào, poison) and 毒蛇 (dú shé, venomous snake).
