〜どころか
Far from 〜どころか
Meaning
"Far from ~"; "let alone ~" — the reality is well beyond, or well short of, what was said.
Formation
[plain form] + どころか · [noun] + どころか · [na-adj] な + どころか
Notes
Two readings share one form. Followed by a positive it escalates — 一つどころか三つも. Followed by a negative it denies the first item and a weaker one as well: 漢字どころかひらがなも読めない.
Examples
彼（かれ）は漢字（かんじ）どころか、ひらがなも読（よ）めません。
He cannot read hiragana, let alone kanji.
Breakdown
寒（さむ）いどころか、暑（あつ）いくらいです。
Far from being cold, it is almost hot.
Breakdown
一（ひと）つどころか、三（みっ）つも食（た）べました。
Far from one, I ate three.
Breakdown
謝（あやま）るどころか、彼（かれ）は笑（わら）っていました。
Far from apologising, he was laughing.
Breakdown
休（やす）むどころか、もっと忙（いそが）しくなりました。
Far from resting, I became even busier.
Breakdown
⚠️ Often confused with
〜一方（で）
While / on the one hand 〜一方（で）
"While ~", "on the one hand ~, on the other …" — two sides of one situation.
〜反面
On the flip side 〜反面
"On the other hand ~" — two opposite qualities of the same thing.
〜に反して
Contrary to 〜に反して
"Contrary to ~", "against ~".
〜かわりに
Instead of / in exchange 〜かわりに
"Instead of ~"; "in exchange for ~"; "in return".