見下す|みくだすmikudasu[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto look down (on); to condescend (to)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 見下す（みくだす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 見下します（みくだします） |
| Negative (nai) | 見下さない（みくださない） |
| polite (masen) | 見下しません（みくだしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 見下さず・見下さぬ（みくださず・みくださぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 見下した（みくだした） |
| polite (mashita) | 見下しました（みくだしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 見下さなかった（みくださなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 見下しませんでした（みくだしませんでした） |
| Te form | 見下して（みくだして） |
| Potential | 見下せる（みくだせる） |
| Passive | 見下される（みくだされる） |
| Causative | 見下させる（みくださせる） |
| Causative passive | 見下させられる（みくださせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 見下せば（みくだせば） |
| tara | 見下したら（みくだしたら） |
| Volitional | 見下そう（みくだそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 見下しましょう（みくだしましょう） |
| Imperative | 見下せ（みくだせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym軽蔑けいべつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Contempt or scorn, centred on the feeling itself, as in 「軽蔑の目」; 「見下す」 stresses the condescending stance of looking down on someone.
- Synonym蔑むさげすむWrittenWritten/formal prose. Despising someone as an inferior person; leans toward character and conduct, while 「見下す」 is the condescending attitude itself.
- Synonym蔑視べっしFormalFormal. Contempt or derision; often speaks of discrimination at a social level, as in 「女性蔑視」, rather than one person's condescending attitude.
- Synonym侮蔑ぶべつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Insult and contempt combined, with a heavy tone, as in 「侮蔑的な言葉」; heavier than 「見下す」, which is not necessarily verbal.
- Synonym侮るあなどるNeutralNeutral. Making light of the other side's strength, as in 「相手を侮るな」; leans toward underestimating ability, not the condescension of 「見下す」.
- Synonym軽侮けいぶFormalFormal. Treating someone with scornful disdain; little used, and close in feel to 「侮蔑」.
- Synonym卑しむいやしむWrittenWritten/formal prose. Despising or looking down on others; little used.
- Synonym卑しめるいやしめるWrittenWritten/formal prose. Demeaning someone, treating them as low and worthless; leans toward the act of putting down; little used.
- Related見くびるみくびるNeutralNeutral. Underrating someone's ability, as in 「子供だと見くびる」; leans toward a misjudgement rather than the contempt in 「見下す」.
- Antonym見上げるみあげるNeutralNeutral. Chiefly to look up at something; admiration is usually expressed in forms like 「見上げた人物」. The opposite of 「見下す」.
- Antonym尊敬するNeutralNeutral. To respect and esteem someone; the direct opposite of the disdain of 「見下す」.
Use 「見下す」 for looking down on someone as beneath you, as in 「人を見下した態度」. For underestimating strength, choose 「侮る」 or 「見くびる」; for contempt tinged with disgust, 「軽蔑」. The opposite attitude is 「尊敬する」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
