Chinese word

居高临下

Pronunciation

Pinyinjū gāo lín xià

Meaning

  • idiomlook down on

Example

他总是以一种居高临下的态度说话。tā zǒng shì yǐ yì zhǒng jū gāo lín xià de tài dù shuō huà

He always speaks in a condescending manner.

Illustration for 居高临下 (look down on)

More examples

站在城墙上向下看，有一种居高临下的感觉。zhàn zài chéng qiáng shàng xiàng xià kàn yǒu yì zhǒng jū gāo lín xià de gǎn jué

When you stand on the city wall and look down, it feels like you are looking down from above.

Core concept

A person speaks from an imagined higher position, treating others as people beneath their notice or authority.

Common phrases

  • 采取居高临下的姿态cái qǔ jū gāo lín xià de zī tài

    adopt a high-handed stance

  • 居高临下的论调jū gāo lín xià de lùn diào

    a high-handed tone

Similar words

盛气凌人shèng qì líng rén: Acting forcefully and arrogantly to intimidate others into accepting one's authority.
高高在上gāo gāo zài shàng: Keeping a proud distance while acting as though one stands above others.
高傲自大gāo ào zì dà: Having an inflated sense of one's own ability or status and acting arrogantly.
目中无人mù zhōng wú rén: Showing such disregard for others that their presence seems not to matter.

Definition in Chinese

用高人一等的态度对待别人，带有轻视或命令意味的说话方式或行为。yòng gāo rén yì děng de tài dù duì dài bié rén dài yǒu qīng shì huò mìng lìng yì wèi de shuō huà fāng shì huò xíng wéi

Word origin

居 (jū, "to occupy") + 高 (gāo, "high") establishes an upper position, while 临 (lín, "to face") + 下 (xià, "below") completes the picture of looking down on people.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, it often describes a whole manner of speaking rather than a single command, so it criticizes a speaker's tone as well as the words.

Other meanings

  • high-handedidiom

Opposites

  • 平易近人píng yì jìn rénapproachableidiom
  • 虚怀若谷xū huái ruò gǔhumble and broad-mindedidiom

Word lists with this word