每天成语
background texture
< 千里迢迢耳熟能详 >

不屑一顾

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù xiè yī gù
  • English Translation: Not worth a glance (to treat with disdain)
  • Idiom Composition: 「不」（Not (negation)）＋「屑」（To consider worth doing or to deign (in this context, 'worth')）＋「一」（One; a single）＋「顾」（To look back or to glance at）
  • Meaning: To regard something as not even worth a single glance; to treat something with utter contempt or disdain, considering it beneath one's notice.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「不屑一顾」 contains the following nuances:

  • Extreme Contempt: The phrase implies more than just 'not looking'; it suggests the object is so inferior that it is 'not worth' the effort of looking.
  • Active Rejection: Rather than simple indifference, this idiom represents a conscious decision to reject or dismiss something as trivial.

3. Usage

「不屑一顾」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Responding to criticism or rumors: Used to describe a person who completely ignores gossip or slander, viewing it as unworthy of their attention.
    • Example:「他对那些流言蜚语完全不屑一顾。」
      （He completely ignored those rumors and slanders.)
  • Describing an arrogant attitude: Used when someone treats others or their suggestions with cold indifference because they feel superior.
    • Example:「这位专家对初学者的提问表现得不屑一顾。」
      （The expert showed a disdainful attitude toward the beginner's questions.)
  • Detachment from wealth or power: In a more positive context, it describes a high-minded person who looks down upon worldly gains.
    • Example:「他视金钱如粪土，对荣华富贵不屑一顾。」
      （He views money as dirt and doesn't give a second thought to wealth and glory.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 对于这种毫无根据的指责，我根本不屑一顾。
    （I don't care at all about these groundless accusations.）
  2. 虽然这是个很好的机会，但他似乎不屑一顾。
    （Although it's a great opportunity, he seems to dismiss it out of hand.）
  3. 很多年轻人对传统习俗不屑一顾，这让人担忧。
    （It is worrying that many young people look down upon traditional customs.）
  4. 他那种不屑一顾的神情真让人生气。
    （His scornful expression really makes people angry.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The character 屑 (xiè) in modern Chinese usually means 'scraps' or 'crumbs,' but in classical Chinese, it means 'to be worth' or 'to deign to do.' Therefore, 不屑 (bù xiè) literally means 'not worth doing.'
  • The idiom can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty scholar Fang Xiaoru (方孝孺) in his work 'Preface to Sending off Gong Yanzuo' (送龚彦佐序). Historically, it was sometimes used to describe the noble integrity of scholars who looked down on worldly corruption.
  • While there are many ways to say 'ignore' in Chinese, 不屑一顾 (bù xiè yī gù) specifically carries a judgmental tone, implying the subject has evaluated the object and found it lacking in value.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

不屑一顾 (bù xiè yī gù) describes an attitude of complete disregard or contempt toward something deemed worthless or inferior. It is not merely passive indifference; it is an active judgment that the object is 'beneath' the person. While often used to criticize arrogance, it can occasionally describe a noble person's disdain for worldly riches or fame.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

bù xiè yī gù
不屑一顾
Beneath One's Notice
zài在zhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàng上，yǒu有yī zhǒng一种kàn fǎ看法，qí shí其实shì是“bù不kàn看”。

In this world, there is a way of looking that is actually a way of not looking.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下zhè yàng这样de的chǎng jǐng场景：yǒu rén有人jí qiè急切dì地xiǎng yào想要yǐn qǐ引起nǐ你de的zhù yì注意，ná拿zhe着yī jiàn一件dōng xī东西xiàng向nǐ你xuàn yào炫耀，huò zhě或者zài在nǐ你ěr biān耳边shuō说yī xiē一些wú liáo无聊de的bā guà八卦。

Imagine a scene: someone is desperate for your attention, showing off an object or whispering boring gossip in your ear.

ér而nǐ你ne呢？

And you?

nǐ你de的tóu头lián连zhuǎn转dōu都méi yǒu没有zhuǎn转yī xià一下，yǎn jīng眼睛yī rán依然kàn看zhe着qián fāng前方，fǎng fú仿佛nà ge那个rén人、nà那jiàn件shì事gēn běn根本bù不cún zài存在yī yàng一样。

You don't even turn your head; your eyes remain fixed forward, as if that person or event simply does not exist.

zhè zhǒng这种jí dù极度de的lěng dàn冷淡hé和qīng shì轻视，zài在zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常jīng zhǔn精准de的chéng yǔ成语lái来xíng róng形容，jiào zuò叫做“bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾”。

This extreme coldness and contempt is described by a very precise Chinese idiom: 不屑一顾.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a strong sense of imagery.

“gù顾”，jiù shì就是huí tóu回头kàn看yī kàn一看。

顾 means to turn one's head and look.

ér而“bù xiè不屑”，shì是yī zhǒng一种hěn很wēi miào微妙de的xīn tài心态，yì si意思shì是wǒ我rèn wéi认为zhè这jiàn件shì事tài太dī jí低级、tài太méi yǒu没有jià zhí价值，wǒ我bù不yuàn yì愿意wèi le为了tā它làng fèi浪费wǒ我de的jīng lì精力。

And 不屑 is a subtle mindset, meaning I believe this matter is too low-level or worthless, and I am unwilling to waste my energy on it.

hé合qǐ lái起来，“bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾”jiù shì shuō就是说：zhè这jiàn件shì事shèn zhì甚至bù zhí dé不值得wǒ我zhuǎn转guò tóu过头kàn看yī yǎn一眼。

Combined, 不屑一顾 means: this matter is not even worth a single glance.

tōng cháng通常，wǒ men我们zài在liǎng zhǒng两种jié rán bù tóng截然不同de的qì fēn气氛zhōng中huì会yòng用dào到tā它。

Usually, we use it in two very different atmospheres.

yī zhǒng一种shì是dài yǒu带有ào màn傲慢sè cǎi色彩de的。

One carries a tone of arrogance.

bǐ rú比如，yī wèi一位fēi cháng非常yǒu míng有名de的huà jiā画家，duì yú对于wài háng rén外行人duì对tā他zuò pǐn作品de的pī píng批评，kě néng可能gēn běn根本tīng bù jìn qù听不进去，shèn zhì甚至lián连kàn看dōu都bù不kàn看，zhè这jiù shì就是duì对pī píng批评“bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾”。

For example, a very famous painter might not listen to or even look at a layman's criticism of his work; this is being 不屑一顾 toward the criticism.

zhè zhǒng这种shí hòu时候，tā它dài biǎo代表le了yī zhǒng一种gāo gāo zài shàng高高在上de的tài dù态度。

In such cases, it represents a superior attitude.

dàn但lìng另yī zhǒng一种qíng kuàng情况，què却dài yǒu带有yī zhǒng一种zhuān zhù专注de的lì liàng力量。

But another situation carries a power of focus.

dāng当yí gè一个rén人zài在dà bù大步zhuī qiú追求zì jǐ自己de的mèng xiǎng梦想shí时，zhōu wéi周围kě néng可能huì会yǒu有hěn很duō多zào yīn噪音——yǒu rén有人cháo xiào嘲笑tā他，yǒu rén有人dǎ jī打击tā他，huò zhě或者yǒu有yī xiē一些wēi xiǎo微小de的yòu huò诱惑xiǎng yào想要zǔ dǎng阻挡tā他。

When someone is striding toward their dream, there may be much noise around them—people mocking them, discouraging them, or small temptations trying to block them.

rú guǒ如果zhè ge这个shí hòu时候，tā他néng能duì对zhè xiē这些gān rǎo干扰“bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾”，nà me那么zhè ge这个cí词jiù就biàn chéng变成le了yī zhǒng一种zàn měi赞美。

If at this time they can be 不屑一顾 toward these distractions, then the term becomes a form of praise.

tā它yì wèi zhe意味着tā他de的yǎn lǐ眼里zhǐ yǒu只有mù biāo目标，nà xiē那些suǒ suì琐碎de的shì qíng事情，gēn běn根本wú fǎ无法jìn rù进入tā他de的shì yě视野。

It means their eyes are only on the goal, and those trivial matters simply cannot enter their field of vision.

suǒ yǐ所以，“bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾”qí shí其实shì是yī zhǒng一种guān yú关于“jià zhí价值”de的pàn duàn判断。

Therefore, 不屑一顾 is actually a judgment of value.

tā它bú shì不是yīn wèi因为méi没kàn jiàn看见，ér shì而是yīn wèi因为kàn jiàn看见le了，què却pàn dìng判定tā它méi yǒu没有zhòng liàng重量。

It is not because one didn't see it, but because one saw it and judged it to have no weight.

tā它shì是yī dào一道wú xíng无形de的qiáng墙，dǎng zhù挡住le了nà xiē那些wǒ men我们rèn wéi认为bù不zhòng yào重要de的rén人hé和shì事。

It is an invisible wall, blocking out the people and things we deem unimportant.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你jué dìng决定bù zài不再lǐ huì理会nà xiē那些háo wú毫无yì yì意义de的zhēng lùn争论，huò zhě或者jué dìng决定wú shì无视bié rén别人de的lěng cháo rè fěng冷嘲热讽shí时，nǐ你qí shí其实jiù就zài在jiàn xíng践行zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语。

Next time, when you decide to stop paying attention to meaningless arguments or ignore the cynicism of others, you are practicing this idiom.

nǐ你zài在yòng用xíng dòng行动gào sù告诉shì jiè世界：zhè xiē这些dōng xī东西，duì wǒ lái shuō对我来说，bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾。

You are telling the world through your actions: these things, to me, are 不屑一顾.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '不屑一顾'!

0/50