Meaning
〜どころか is a secondary particle that negates an example or expectation, then emphasizes an opposite or more extreme reality. It expresses strong feelings by indicating 'not A, but rather B' or 'far from A, actually B'. This pattern can follow verbs in plain form, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, or nouns.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞普通形 | どころか |
| い形容詞 | どころか |
| な形容詞 | どころか |
| 名詞 | どころか |
Examples
-
マイクさんは漢字どころか、ひらがなさえも書けない。
Mike can't write hiragana, let alone kanji. -
彼は仕事を手伝けてしているどころか、かえって邪魔になっている。
He's not helping with work at all; if anything, he's just getting in the way. -
警察の必死の捜索の甲斐もなく、犯人どころか、犯人に関する手掛かりさえ何も発見されていない。
Despite the police's desperate search, they found not only no criminal, but not even a single clue related to the criminal. -
天気予報で今日は寒いと言っていたので、厚いコートで出かけた。実際、寒いどころかすごく暑くて、汗まみれになった。
The weather forecast said it would be cold today, so I wore a thick coat. But far from being cold, it was extremely hot and I ended up drenched in sweat.
Summary
- Negates an initial expectation or claim to emphasize a contrasting reality
- Expresses strong, emotional reactions by showing the gap between expectation and actual fact
- Can attach to verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, or nouns in plain/dictionary form