Chinese word

小看

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiǎo kàn

Meaning

  • verbunderestimate

Example

别小看我，我可以做到。bié xiǎo kàn wǒ wǒ ké yǐ zuò dào

Don't underestimate me; I can do it.

Illustration for 小看 (underestimate)

More examples

不要小看别人的努力。bú yào xiǎo kàn bié rén de nǔ lì

Do not underestimate other people's efforts.

Core concept

Viewing a person or thing through a shrinking lens that makes its ability, value, or importance seem less than it really is.

Common phrases

  • 小看别人xiǎo kàn bié rén

    underestimate others

  • 小看自己xiǎo kàn zì jǐ

    underestimate yourself

  • 小看对手xiǎo kàn duì shǒu

    underestimate your opponent

Similar words

看不起kàn bù qǐ: Treats a person as inferior and shows little respect for them.
轻视qīng shì: Treats a person or thing as unimportant and fails to recognize its value.
看轻kàn qīng: Judges a person's ability or potential as lower than it really is and treats it lightly.
低估dī gū: Estimates a person's ability or a thing's degree or value as lower than it really is.

Definition in Chinese

低估他人的能力、成就或事物的价值，认为比实际更微小或不重要。dī gū tā rén de néng lì chéng jiù huò shì wù de jià zhí rèn wéi bǐ shí jì gèng wēi xiǎo huò bú zhòng yào

Word origin

小 (xiǎo, "small") + 看 (kàn, "look at") joins the idea of seeing something as small with the judgment that its ability, achievement, or value is less than it really is.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, the word often signals a challenge to a quick judgment, especially when a quiet person or modest-looking thing has more ability or value than first appears.

Other meanings

  • look down onverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word