How to say "toxin" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 毒素どくそnounThe common, default word for 'toxin' in the sense of a poisonous substance. It is the word you will meet in writing about health, food safety, and medicine.
- nounA katakana borrowing of the English word, with the same meaning. It is less common, however, and seldom the word you want; 毒素 is normally the better choice.
Both words translate 'toxin', but 毒素 is the common, default choice for a poisonous substance, while 「トキシン」 is a less common katakana borrowing of the English term that you will seldom need.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
