毒素

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 毒素, read どくそ, denotes a toxic substance produced biologically or acting harmfully on cells.
• Basic usage: It names a harmful substance produced by bacteria and studied for its effect on cells.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A particular toxic substance
  • It denotes a toxic substance produced biologically or acting on cells, rather than anything vaguely harmful.