Chinese word

低估

Pronunciation

Pinyindī gū

Meaning

  • verbunderestimate

Example

不要低估他的能力。bú yào dī gū tā de néng lì

Don't underestimate his ability.

Illustration for 低估 (underestimate)

More examples

投资者常常低估市场的波动性。tóu zī zhě cháng cháng dī gū shì chǎng de bō dòng xìng

Investors often underestimate the market's volatility.

Core concept

A judgment that places a person's ability, a thing's worth, or a risk below its true level.

Common phrases

  • 低估自己dī gū zì jǐ

    underestimate oneself

  • 低估对手dī gū duì shǒu

    underestimate one's opponent

  • 低估风险dī gū fēng xiǎn

    underestimate risks

Similar words

看轻kàn qīng: Regard a person or thing too lightly, showing that its worth or ability is not fully respected.
小看xiǎo kàn: Look down on someone's ability and fail to recognize how strong that person is.
轻视qīng shì: Show an attitude that does not take a person or thing seriously or value it.

Definition in Chinese

把某事物的价值、能力或风险估计得比实际小。bǎ mǒu shì wù de jià zhí néng lì huò fēng xiǎn gū jì de bǐ shí jì xiǎo

Word origin

The compound 低 (dī, "low") + 估 (gū, "estimate") presents an assessment as being set beneath the subject's actual level.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear a judgment about ability as personal criticism, but this word can describe a wrong low assessment without claiming that the speaker intends disrespect.

Other meanings

  • underrateverb
  • undervalueverb

Opposites

  • 高估gāo gūoverestimateverb
  • 高看gāo kànthink highly ofverb

Word lists with this word