毒気

• Reading: どくけ
• Romaji: dokuke
• Kanji breakdown: 毒 (doku) — poison; 気 (ke/ki) — spirit, quality, air
• Pronunciation: /do.kɯ.ke/

Meaning

Venom; malice; toxic quality. Refers to literal poison and metaphorically to a person's mean-spirited or spiteful attitude.

A noun composed of 毒 (poison) and 気 (spirit, quality). In its literal sense it refers to the poisonous nature of a substance. Metaphorically, 毒気 describes a person's malicious or sharp-tongued character. The expression 毒気を抜かれる (to have one's venom drawn out) means to be unexpectedly disarmed or to lose one's fighting spirit.

Examples

1. 彼女の毒気のある言葉に、その場の空気が一瞬固まった。 Her venomous words made the atmosphere freeze for a moment.
2. 子供の無邪気な笑顔に、すっかり毒気を抜かれてしまった。 The child's innocent smile completely took the venom right out of me.
3. 毒気のある批評家として知られる彼だが、今回は珍しく称賛した。 He's known as a critic full of malice, but this time he surprisingly offered praise.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday speech, literary criticism, interpersonal relations

Tone: sharp

Origin & History

From 毒 (doku, poison) + 気 (ke/ki, spirit, quality). The metaphorical use developed from the image of poison spreading through the air or infecting interactions with malicious intent.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal