〜どころか (dokoro ka)

JLPT N2 Far from ~ — in fact, the opposite.

Meaning

“Far from ~ / not only not ~ (but the opposite).” Corrects an assumption strongly.

Formation

Verb / い-adj (plain) + どころか

な-adj (＋な) / Noun + どころか

Examples

彼はお礼を言うどころか、文句ばかり言っていた。

Kare wa orei o iu dokoro ka, monku bakari itte ita. — Far from thanking me, he just complained.

病気は良くなるどころか、悪くなっている。

Byōki wa yoku naru dokoro ka, waruku natte iru. — Far from getting better, the illness is getting worse.

貯金どころか、借金がある。

Chokin dokoro ka, shakkin ga aru. — Far from having savings, I have debt.

How it works

It denies an expected idea and replaces it with something opposite or far more extreme. The second part often surprises the listener.

The order is: (expected thing) どころか (reality). The reality is stronger, worse, or the reverse.

Compared with similar expressions

• 〜どころか — “far from ~,” denies X and states the opposite

• 〜ばかりか — “not only ~ but also,” X is true and there's more

• 〜はもちろん — “~ of course, and also,” both are true

Common mistakes

• Note the contrast with 〜ばかりか: どころか denies the first idea, ばかりか confirms it.

• Nouns and な-adjectives attach directly: 元気どころか.

Related grammar

• 〜ばかりか — not only ~ but also

• 〜わけではない — it's not that ~

• むしろ — rather, on the contrary