miệt thị
Definition
- Verb:
- To despise; to scorn; to look down upon: To regard someone or something as unworthy, inferior, or contemptible. It implies a strong feeling of disdain and a conscious attitude of belittlement.
- To disparage; to hold in contempt: To express a low opinion of someone or something, often publicly or in a manner that denies them respect.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Họ có thái độ miệt thị người nghèo. (They have an attitude of despising the poor.)
- Không nên miệt thị bất kỳ ai. (One should not scorn anyone.)
- Bài báo đó miệt thị các giá trị truyền thống. (That article disparages traditional values.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a strong moral judgment and is used in contexts discussing social prejudice, discrimination, or profound disrespect.
- It can describe systemic attitudes, such as colonial powers despising colonized peoples, or personal contempt.
Variants and Related Words
- Khinh miệt (v): A near-synonymous compound meaning to scorn, to disdain, often used interchangeably with "miệt thị."
- Anh ta khinh miệt những kẻ nịnh hót. (He scorns flatterers.)
- Miệt thị chủng tộc: Racial contempt; racism.
- Miệt thị giới tính: Gender contempt; sexism.
Synonyms
- Despise: To regard with intense dislike and scorn.
- Scorn: To treat with contempt or derision.
- Disparage: To belittle or speak slightingly of.
- Look down on: To regard as inferior.
Related Idioms
- While "miệt thị" itself is not commonly part of a fixed idiom, the concept is central to phrases describing prejudice.
- Con mắt miệt thị: A scornful/disdainful look.
- Cô ấy nhìn anh với con mắt miệt thị. (She looked at him with a scornful eye.)