Definition
小看 means 'to look down on or underestimate' — it's a colloquial verb that covers both despising someone and undervaluing something. 看不起 (kàn bu qǐ) is a stronger, more emotional 'despise'; 低估 (dī gū) is purely 'underestimate' in a numerical or objective sense. 小看 sits between them, often used in everyday speech.
verb
to look down on (someone)to underestimate (something)
Examples
- 小看，。Nǐ bú yào xiǎo kàn tā, tā suīrán niánqīng dàn hěn yǒu jīngyàn.Don't look down on him—he may be young but he has a lot of experience.
- 小看，。Wǒ dāngchū xiǎo kàn le zhège xiàngmù de fùzáxìng, jiéguǒ huā le sān bèi shíjiān.I initially underestimated the complexity of this project, and it ended up taking three times as long.
- 小看。Bù néng yīnwèi duìfāng shì xīnshǒu jiù xiǎo kàn biérén.You can't look down on others just because they're beginners.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.