看不起

kànbuqǐ

verb HSK 4 #17,841

Meanings

Literally 'cannot look up at'. If you can't look up at someone, you look down on them.

HSK 2

不要看不起别人。

Bùyào kànbuqǐ biérén.

Don't look down on others.

HSK 2

你不应该看不起自己。

Nǐ bù yīnggāi kànbuqǐ zìjǐ.

You shouldn't look down on yourself.

HSK 4

他从来不看不起穷人。

Tā cónglái bù kànbuqǐ qióngrén.

He never looks down on poor people.

grammar

This is a resultative complement structure: 看 + 不 + 起. The positive form is 看得起 (to think highly of).

usage

看不起 is a strong expression. For milder disapproval, use 不尊重 (to not respect).

看 kàn

不 bù

起 qǐ