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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: Not (negation)To consider worth doing or to deign (in this context, 'worth')One; a singleTo 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.

Idiom Essay

bù xiè yī gù
不屑一顾
Beneath One's Notice
zàizhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàngyǒuyī zhǒng一种kàn fǎ看法qí shí其实shìkàn

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dechǎng jǐng场景yǒu rén有人jí qiè急切xiǎng yào想要yǐn qǐ引起dezhù yì注意zheyī jiàn一件dōng xī东西xiàngxuàn yào炫耀huò zhě或者zàiěr biān耳边shuōyī xiē一些wú liáo无聊debā guà八卦

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

érne

And you?

detóuliánzhuǎndōuméi yǒu没有zhuǎnyī xià一下yǎn jīng眼睛yī rán依然kànzheqián fāng前方fǎng fú仿佛nà ge那个rénjiànshìgēn běn根本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delěng dàn冷淡qīng shì轻视zàizhōng wén中文yǒuyí gè一个fēi cháng非常jīng zhǔn精准dechéng yǔ成语láixíng 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dehuà miàn画面gǎnhěnqiáng

This phrase has a strong sense of imagery.

jiù shì就是huí tóu回头kànyī kàn一看

顾 means to turn one's head and look.

érbù xiè不屑shìyī zhǒng一种hěnwēi miào微妙dexīn tài心态yì si意思shìrèn wéi认为zhèjiànshìtàidī jí低级tàiméi yǒu没有jià zhí价值yuàn yì愿意wèi le为了làng fèi浪费dejīng 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.

qǐ lái起来bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾jiù shì shuō就是说zhèjiànshìshèn zhì甚至bù zhí dé不值得zhuǎnguò tóu过头kànyī 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zàiliǎng zhǒng两种jié rán bù tóng截然不同deqì fēn气氛zhōnghuìyòngdào

Usually, we use it in two very different atmospheres.

yī zhǒng一种shìdài yǒu带有ào màn傲慢sè cǎi色彩de

One carries a tone of arrogance.

bǐ rú比如yī wèi一位fēi cháng非常yǒu míng有名dehuà jiā画家duì yú对于wài háng rén外行人duìzuò pǐn作品depī píng批评kě néng可能gēn běn根本tīng bù jìn qù听不进去shèn zhì甚至liánkàndōukànzhèjiù shì就是duìpī 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dài biǎo代表leyī zhǒng一种gāo gāo zài shàng高高在上detài dù态度

In such cases, it represents a superior attitude.

dànlìngyī zhǒng一种qíng kuàng情况quèdài yǒu带有yī zhǒng一种zhuān zhù专注delì liàng力量

But another situation carries a power of focus.

dāngyí gè一个rénzàidà bù大步zhuī qiú追求zì jǐ自己demèng xiǎng梦想shízhōu wéi周围kě néng可能huìyǒuhěnduōzào yīn噪音yǒu rén有人cháo xiào嘲笑yǒu rén有人dǎ jī打击huò zhě或者yǒuyī xiē一些wēi xiǎo微小deyòu huò诱惑xiǎng yào想要zǔ dǎng阻挡

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néngduìzhè xiē这些gān rǎo干扰bù xiè yī gù不屑一顾nà me那么zhè ge这个jiùbiàn chéng变成leyī 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.

yì wèi zhe意味着deyǎn lǐ眼里zhǐ yǒu只有mù biāo目标nà xiē那些suǒ suì琐碎deshì qíng事情gēn běn根本wú fǎ无法jìn rù进入deshì 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shìyī zhǒng一种guān yú关于jià zhí价值depàn duàn判断

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

bú shì不是yīn wèi因为méikàn jiàn看见ér shì而是yīn wèi因为kàn jiàn看见lequèpàn dìng判定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.

shìyī dào一道wú xíng无形deqiángdǎng zhù挡住lenà xiē那些wǒ men我们rèn wéi认为zhòng yào重要derénshì

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

xià cì下次dāngjué dìng决定bù zài不再lǐ huì理会nà xiē那些háo wú毫无yì yì意义dezhēng lùn争论huò zhě或者jué dìng决定wú shì无视bié rén别人delěng cháo rè fěng冷嘲热讽shíqí shí其实jiùzàijiàn 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.

zàiyòngxíng 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.

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