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藐视 (miǎo shì) — to despise, to look down on

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning 'to despise, look down on'. Stronger and more literary than 看不起; sits between 轻视 (mild, underestimate) and 蔑视 (harshest, utter contempt).

verb
to despiseto look down on

Examples

  • 藐视。
    Tā zǒng miǎo shì nà xiē bù nǔ lì de rén.
    He always despises those who don't work hard.
  • 藐视。
    Bú yào miǎo shì bié rén de yì jiàn.
    Don't look down on others' opinions.
  • 藐视。
    Tā miǎo shì zhè zhǒng bù gōng píng de xíng wéi.
    She despises this kind of unfair behavior.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

藐miǎosmall or despicable
视shìlook

The meanings of 藐 (small or despicable) and 视 (look) come together to express looking down on.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
貌
貌mào藐miǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top of 藐 is 艹, "grass", and the bottom is 貌, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
示
示shì視shì
Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.

Open 视 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Attitudes & Opinions

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