N2 Contrast and Comparison

~どころか: meaning, usage and examples

~どころか means: far from... / let alone...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 休やすむどころか、残業ざんぎょうが増ふえた。

   Far from getting any rest, I ended up working more overtime.

2. 改善かいぜんするどころか、悪化あっかしている。

   Far from improving, it's getting worse.

3. 薬くすりを飲のんだが、熱ねつは下さがるどころか上あがってしまった。

   I took medicine, but instead of going down, my fever went up.

4. 鈴木すずきさんは英語えいごどころか、フランス語ごも中国語ちゅうごくごも話はなせる。

   Ms. Suzuki speaks not only English but also French and Chinese.

When to use it

Rejects the first idea and says the reality is very different, often the opposite or a much bigger degree: "far from X" or "not just X, but even Y". 薬くすりを飲のんだのに、良よくなるどころか悪わるくなった (instead of getting better, I got worse). It can also mean "let alone": 漢字かんじどころか、ひらがなも読よめない.

Nuance

Conversational and written; carries surprise, disappointment or emphasis. The second clause often contains も or さえ, or states the opposite result. It is about facts, so it does not end in a request or invitation.

Compare

どころではない means there is no room or time for something: 忙いそがしくて旅行りょこうどころではない (too busy to even think about a trip). ばかりか adds something in the same direction: 英語えいごばかりか中国ちゅうごく語ごも話はなせる. どころか can reverse expectations: 安やすいどころか高たかい.

Tip: Read どころか as "far from it". The second half either flips the first idea or goes much further.