far from; anything but; let alone (どころか) – Japanese Grammar どころか (dokoro ka)

Q: What JLPT level is どころか?

JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Q: How do you use どころか in a sentence?

Attach どころか to the appropriate verb or noun form. Far from; anything but; let alone

Q: Is どころか formal or casual Japanese?

どころか is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

どころか

N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

dokoro ka

far from; anything but; let alone

ものではない mono dewa nai ようか～まいか you ka~mai ka 末に sue ni ままに mama ni のみならず nominarazu からこそ kara koso に限らず ni kagirazu わずかに wazuka ni はもとより wa moto yori 少しも～ない sukoshi mo~nai にほかならない ni hoka naranai に限る ni kagiru にあたって ni atatte くせして kuse shite ていては te ite wa ものだから mono dakara もの / もん mono / mon にも関わらず nimo kakawarazu どうせ douse から言うと kara iu to ものではない mono dewa nai ようか～まいか you ka~mai ka 末に sue ni ままに mama ni のみならず nominarazu からこそ kara koso に限らず ni kagirazu わずかに wazuka ni はもとより wa moto yori 少しも～ない sukoshi mo~nai にほかならない ni hoka naranai に限る ni kagiru にあたって ni atatte くせして kuse shite ていては te ite wa ものだから mono dakara もの / もん mono / mon にも関わらず nimo kakawarazu どうせ douse から言うと kara iu to

🃏 Flashcard

どころか

dokoro ka

Tap to reveal usage

far from; anything but; let alone

Tap to test your recall · +10 XP

📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N2

Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Reading dokoro ka

Post ID 51011

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

far from; anything but; let alone

📖 How to use it

どころか (dokoro ka) is used to say that something is far from being the case, often followed by a statement that is the opposite or even more extreme, meaning 'far from' or 'let alone'.

Attaches to Attach to the plain form of verbs and い-adjectives, and to the stem of な-adjectives and nouns followed by な for な-adjectives or directly for nouns, as in するどころか, 忙しいどころか, 静かなどころか, 学生どころか. For な-adjectives, な is required; for nouns, the copula だ is omitted before どころか.

This pattern expresses a strong contrast. It sets up an expectation and then denies it completely, often adding something even more extreme than the opposite. For example, saying something is not just not cold, but actually hot. It also can be used to say 'let alone' when the second clause is more extreme than the first, often in negative contexts (e.g., 'I can't even run, let alone swim'). The nuance is emphatic and often surprises the listener.

Note that どころか also has a different usage meaning 'even so' or 'however', but that is a separate grammar point. Here we focus on the 'far from' meaning. In speech, it is common and not overly formal, though it appears in both spoken and written Japanese. It is a useful pattern for expressing strong disagreement with an assumption.

彼は日本語が上手などころか、漢字も読めない。

Kare wa nihongo ga jouzu na dokoro ka, kanji mo yomenai.

Far from being good at Japanese, he can't even read kanji.

この店は安いどころか、高すぎて手が出せない。

Kono mise wa yasui dokoro ka, takasugite te ga dasenai.

This shop is anything but cheap; it's so expensive I can't afford it.

休みの日は忙しいどころか、一日中寝ている。

Yasumi no hi wa isogashii dokoro ka, ichinichijuu nete iru.

On my days off, far from being busy, I sleep all day.

Not どころではなく (dokoro de wa naku) どころではなく means 'not in a situation to do something' (e.g., 遊ぶどころではなく、仕事がある). どころか emphasizes extreme contrast, while どころではなく indicates lack of time or ability.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

どころか

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat どころか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

🃏

Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using どころか. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

⏰

Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns

← Previous

どころではない

not the time for; far from

どうやら

apparently; seems like; somehow

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern どころか mean? ▼

Far from; anything but; let alone

What JLPT level is どころか? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use どころか in a sentence? ▼

Attach どころか (dokoro ka) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is どころか formal or casual Japanese? ▼

どころか is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember どころか long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.