Japanese word

見下す

Pronunciation

Romajimikudasu

Meaning

  • verblook down on

Example

私は人を見下しません。watashi wa hito o mi kuda shi ma se n

I don't look down on people.

Illustration for 見下す (look down on)

More examples

冗談でも、相手を見下すような言い方はやめてください。jō dan de mo ai te o mi kuda su yō na i i kata wa ya me te ku da sa i

Even as a joke, please stop speaking to the other person in a condescending way.

Core concept

It treats another person as beneath oneself, showing contempt or an unjustified sense of superiority.

Common phrases

  • 他人を見下すta nin o mi kuda su

    look down on others

  • 見下した態度mi kuda shi ta tai do

    a condescending attitude

Similar words

蔑むsagesumu: To consider someone beneath oneself and hold them in contempt.
見下げるmisageru: To view a person as low in worth or status.
軽蔑するkeibetsusuru: To feel and express a lack of respect for someone or something.
侮るanadoru: To underestimate a person's strength, ability, or importance.

Definition in Japanese

相手を自分より下の立場にある者とみなし、軽蔑や優越感を示す態度で扱う。ai te o ji bun yo ri shita no tachi ba ni a ru mono to mi na shi kei betsu ya yū etsu kan o shime su tai do de atsuka u

Word origin

As a native Japanese compound verb, it joins the stem 見 (mi, "see") to 下す (kudasu, "put down"), so a person is figuratively placed below the one who sees them.

Usage tips

  • English look down on requires the preposition on before its object, while Japanese 見下す (mikudasu) takes the object marker を (o), as in 人を見下す (hito o mikudasu).

Other meanings

  • despiseverb
  • condescend to ___verb

Opposites

Word lists with this word