毒々しい

• Reading: どくどくしい
• Romaji: dokudokushii
• Kanji breakdown: 毒 (doku) — poison (repeated for intensification)
• Pronunciation: /do.kɯ.do.kɯ.ɕiː/

Meaning

Gaudy; garish; lurid; venomous-looking. Describes something that appears poisonous, unnaturally vivid, or offensively showy in a way that feels unsettling.

An i-adjective formed by the reduplication 毒々 (intensifying 'poison') + しい. Used to describe colours that are unnaturally vivid (毒々しい色, lurid colour), appearances that feel malicious or repellent, or things that are gaudily excessive. Stronger than 派手 (showy) — it implies something deeply unsettling about the gaudiness itself.

Examples

1. 毒々しい赤と緑のキノコが森の中に生えていた。 Garish red and green mushrooms were growing in the forest.
2. あの女優の衣装は毒々しいほど派手で、会場でひときわ目立っていた。 That actress's outfit was so luridly flashy that she stood out above everyone at the venue.
3. 毒々しい色をした飴が子供たちの目を引いた。 The candy with its gaudy, venomous-looking colors caught the children's eyes.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday speech, fashion criticism, nature descriptions

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 毒 (doku, poison) reduplicated as 毒々 + しい. The reduplication intensifies the sense of poison, suggesting something that looks dangerously vivid or repulsive to the eye.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal