Miè Shì: 蔑视 - The Ultimate Guide to Expressing Contempt in Chinese

Keywords: 蔑视, miè shì, Chinese contempt, Chinese disdain, Chinese看不起, Chinese insults, HSK vocabulary, advanced Chinese emotions, Chinese social hierarchy, Chinese expression of contempt

Summary: 蔑视 (miè shì) represents one of the most potent expressions of contempt in the Chinese language, carrying profound historical weight and social consequences. This comprehensive guide explores the deep cultural mechanics of this powerful term, from its classical literary origins to its nuanced deployment in modern Chinese society. Unlike simpler expressions of disapproval, 蔑视 operates on multiple registers: it signals not merely disagreement but fundamental devaluation of a person's worth, status, or moral standing. Understanding 蔑视 requires grasping the intricate relationship between face (面子), social hierarchy, and the Chinese concept of human dignity. Whether you encounter it in classical literature, hear it in heated workplace disputes, or see it deployed in the charged atmosphere of Chinese social media, 蔑视 demands recognition as a serious verbal act with real social consequences. This guide will equip you with the cultural intelligence to understand when and why native speakers reach for this term, and how to use it appropriately without causing irreparable damage to your relationships.

• Pinyin: Miè Shì
• Part of Speech: Verb, also used as adjective/noun
• HSK Level: Not officially listed in standard HSK, but considered advanced vocabulary essential for language mastery
• Concise Definition: To despise, to look down upon with contempt, to regard as worthless or beneath consideration

If 蔑视 were a color, it would be the coldest shade of arctic blue. This term operates not merely at the level of disapproval or dislike, but at the fundamental rejection of another person's worth, existence, or right to be taken seriously. When a Chinese speaker uses 蔑视, they are not saying “I disagree with you” or even “I dislike you”; they are communicating that you have failed to register as a being worthy of their consideration. The term carries a dismissive quality that is simultaneously intellectual and emotional, suggesting not just momentary anger but a settled, considered judgment of inferiority.

The “soul” of 蔑视 lies in its compound structure. The character 蔑 (miè) originally depicted a person being pressed down, overwhelmed, or destroyed. Combined with 视 (shì), meaning “to look at” or “to regard,” the term literally translates to “to look at someone as trampled, destroyed, or beneath notice.” This etymology reveals why the term carries such weight: it invokes not just contemporary contempt but centuries of accumulated meaning about power, dignity, and social worth.

When someone says 他们蔑视穷人 (tāmen miè shì qióng rén), they are not merely observing that people look down on the poor. They are describing a systematic dehumanization, a social practice that renders the poor as non-persons in the eyes of the privileged. The term's power comes from this totalizing quality.

The term 蔑视 traces its roots to classical Chinese literature and philosophy, appearing prominently in texts from the Warring States period (475-221 BCE) and reaching fuller development during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). In classical texts, 蔑视 often appeared in contexts involving the relationship between rulers and the ruled, scholars and the uneducated, and the noble versus the common.

In the Analects (论语), while the specific compound 蔑视 does not appear, the character 蔑 is used in contexts describing disregard for moral principles. Mencius (孟子) employs concepts that would later crystallize into the semantic field of 蔑视, particularly in his discussions of how rulers who neglect the welfare of the people invite their own destruction.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), 蔑视 began appearing in its modern compound form, often describing the attitude of the educated elite toward those they deemed morally or intellectually inferior. Poetry from this period reveals 蔑视 as a double-edged sword: sometimes used to describe justified moral rejection of corrupt officials, sometimes deployed as arrogant dismissal of common people by those in power.

The term underwent significant semantic shifts during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), when Neo-Confucian philosophy emphasized social hierarchy and the moral obligations of different classes. 蔑视 became a technical term in philosophical discourse, describing the failure to properly recognize the humanity and worth of those in lower social positions.

In modern Chinese, 蔑视 has retained its classical weight while adapting to contemporary contexts. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) saw the term weaponized in political discourse, where one group would accuse another of 蔑视 workers, peasants, and the revolutionary masses. Today, the term appears across contexts from literary criticism to social media debates, always carrying its fundamental association with fundamental devaluation of persons or groups.

Understanding 蔑视 requires placing it in a semantic field of related terms that express disapproval, contempt, or dismissal. While all these terms involve looking down on someone, they differ significantly in intensity, social register, and appropriate usage contexts.

The following comparison table maps 蔑视 against its most closely related terms, helping you understand when to use this powerful expression and when alternatives might better serve your communicative goals.

Key Differentiation Insights:

The distinction between 蔑视 and 鄙视 deserves particular attention because these terms are often confused by learners. 蔑视 operates at a more abstract, philosophical level: it suggests a considered judgment about worth rather than an emotional reaction. When someone 蔑视 corruption, they are making a moral-philosophical statement about the fundamental nature of corrupt behavior. When someone 鄙视 corruption, they are expressing personal disgust and moral condemnation, but the statement is more emotionally grounded and personally directed.

In practice, this means 蔑视 appears more frequently in written, formal, and analytical contexts, while 鄙视 is more common in spoken Chinese and emotionally charged discussions. A literary critic might write that the novel 蔑视 (despises) the working class, analyzing the ideological position of the author. A grandmother might tell her grandchild that she 鄙视 (looks down on) people who abandon their families, expressing personal moral outrage.

The distinction between 蔑视 and 藐视 is subtler and primarily involves register and specific usage patterns. 藐视 appears more frequently in legal and official contexts (藐视法庭, “contempt of court”) and tends to emphasize the act of regarding something as beneath oneself or as insignificant. 蔑视 carries stronger moral overtones and is more likely to appear in contexts involving judgments about human worth or dignity.

Appropriate Contexts for 蔑视:

The term 蔑视 thrives in contexts that carry historical, philosophical, or analytical weight. Academic writing, literary criticism, political commentary, and formal speeches all provide natural habitats for this powerful expression. When discussing systemic social issues such as class discrimination, historical oppression, or structural violence, 蔑视 provides the appropriate register for describing attitudes that reduce entire groups of people to non-persons in the eyes of the powerful.

In formal education settings, particularly in courses on Chinese history, philosophy, or literature, 蔑视 appears frequently in both textbook materials and student essays. Teachers expect students to use this term when analyzing historical power dynamics or philosophical arguments about human dignity.

Journalistic writing in China, particularly in longer-form investigative pieces or analytical commentary, employs 蔑视 when describing patterns of behavior by elites toward marginalized groups. The term carries sufficient formality to appear in official media while maintaining its critical edge.

Inappropriate Contexts for 蔑视:

The deployment of 蔑视 in everyday interpersonal communication carries significant risks. Using this term to describe a personal disagreement, a minor annoyance, or an ordinary social conflict constitutes severe overkill that native speakers will immediately recognize as disproportionate. If your Chinese colleague is annoyed that someone ate their lunch from the refrigerator, saying 他们蔑视你的同事 (they despise your colleague) would strike native speakers as dramatically inappropriate.

The term also fails in casual social media contexts unless you are making a serious analytical point. A casual Weibo post complaining about a neighbor's noise is not the place for 蔑视; the term would read as hyperbolic, affected, or potentially humorous in an unintended way.

Workplace conflicts rarely warrant 蔑视 unless you are discussing systemic discrimination, policy-level decisions that devalue certain groups, or formal HR/legal contexts. Using 蔑视 in an email to complain about a coworker's behavior would be considered a serious escalation that violates workplace communication norms.

The Workplace:

Within Chinese workplace culture, 蔑视 operates on multiple levels depending on hierarchical positioning. A senior manager who 蔑视 subordinate employees is engaging in behavior that, while unfortunately common, violates ideal Confucian principles of benevolent leadership. Such behavior might be implicitly tolerated in some organizational cultures but is increasingly recognized as counterproductive and potentially illegal under Chinese labor law provisions against workplace discrimination and harassment.

Employees who feel 蔑视 by their supervisors or organizational culture may experience significant psychological distress. In consulting contexts, Chinese HR professionals often work to address situations where workers report feeling 蔑视, recognizing that such feelings, whether accurately describing organizational attitudes or not, indicate serious problems with workplace culture and employee retention.

junior employees are generally advised to avoid using 蔑视 when describing their supervisors or organizational decisions, even when they feel treated unjustly. The term's intensity makes it inappropriate for expressing ordinary workplace grievances, and its use might be interpreted as inappropriately confrontational or as evidence of poor professional judgment.

Social Media & Slang:

Among younger Chinese speakers, particularly on platforms like Bilibili, Douyin, and Weibo, 蔑视 appears in several distinct patterns. First, the term is used seriously in political and social commentary, often in long-form posts discussing systemic issues. Second, it appears in ironic or satirical deployment, where users will sarcastically describe their own 蔑视 of various social phenomena or groups as a form of social critique. Third, the term sometimes appears in fan culture and entertainment discussion, used to describe how certain media figures or characters express contempt for others.

Gen-Z speakers tend to use 藐视 and 鄙视 more frequently than 蔑视 in casual online communication, reserving 蔑视 for situations where they want to signal greater seriousness or intellectual engagement with a topic. This pattern reflects the term's association with more formal registers and its connection to classical education.

The “Hidden Codes”:

Understanding 蔑视 requires grasping several unwritten rules that govern its use in Chinese society:

Rule 1: The Hierarchical Permission Structure. In traditional Chinese social dynamics, those in superior positions have greater license to express 蔑视 toward those below them, though this permission is increasingly contested in modern Chinese society. A professor might be expected to 蔑视 intellectual dishonesty, while a student expressing the same sentiment toward their professor would be considered disrespectful.

Rule 2: The Moral Shield. When 蔑视 is directed at behaviors or attitudes rather than inherent characteristics of persons, it carries less social risk. Saying that society 蔑视 corruption is generally acceptable; saying that society 蔑视 the poor raises more complex questions about whether such contempt is itself morally reprehensible.

Rule 3: The Reciprocity Trap. Once you express 蔑视 toward someone, they are culturally licensed to respond in kind or with escalated hostility. In conflict resolution contexts, Chinese mediators often work to prevent situations from reaching the point where 蔑视 is expressed, recognizing that once this term is used, the relationship has often sustained irreparable damage.

Rule 4: The Audience Effect. The appropriateness of expressing 蔑视 depends significantly on the audience. In private conversation with close friends or family members, expressing 蔑视 toward shared targets (corrupt officials, dishonest business partners) might strengthen social bonds. In public or mixed contexts, the same expression might be considered inappropriate, rude, or potentially offensive to those who identify with the target of contempt.

The following examples illustrate the range of contexts in which 蔑视 appears in authentic Chinese usage. Each example includes the target term in context, pinyin transcription, English translation, and detailed analysis of the semantic nuances at play.

Example 1:

那些权贵蔑视平民百姓的声音，这种现象在历史上屡见不鲜。

Pinyin: Nàxiē quánguì miè shì píngmín bǎixìng de shēngyīn, zhè zhǒng xiànxiàng zài lìshǐ shàng lǚ jiàn bù xiǎn.

English: Those powerful elites despise the voices of ordinary citizens, a phenomenon that has been common throughout history.

Deep Analysis: This example illustrates the use of 蔑视 in analytical/historical discourse, where the term describes systemic attitudes rather than individual relationships. The plural “those powerful elites” (权贵) combined with the passive construction “the voices of ordinary citizens” (平民百姓的声音) creates a classic power asymmetry that the term's full semantic weight is designed to capture. The phrase 屡见不鲜 (“common throughout history”) reinforces the analytical register and the serious, condemnatory tone of the passage.

Example 2:

他公开蔑视那些为了成功不择手段的人。

Pinyin: Tā gōngkāi miè shì nàxiē wèile chénggōng bù zé shǒu duàn de rén.

English: He publicly despises those people who stop at nothing to achieve success.

Deep Analysis: Here, 蔑视 is directed at a category of behavior rather than at inherent characteristics of persons, making this usage relatively safe in terms of social acceptability. The phrase 为了成功不择手段 (“stop at nothing to achieve success”) describes a moral failing that the speaker is explicitly rejecting. The adverb 公开 (“publicly”) emphasizes the speaker's willingness to stake their reputation on this moral position, adding courage to the picture of moral condemnation.

Example 3:

真正的绅士不会蔑视他人的劳动成果。

Pinyin: Zhēnzhèng de shēnshì bù huì miè shì tā rén de láodòng chéngguǒ.

English: A true gentleman does not despise the fruits of other people's labor.

Deep Analysis: This example uses 蔑视 in a prescriptive context, describing behavior that the speaker considers inappropriate for a certain social role (“true gentleman”). The negative construction 不会…蔑视 creates a moral standard that contrasts with the behavior being condemned. The phrase 他人的劳动成果 (“fruits of other people's labor”) emphasizes the concrete value of the objects of contempt, suggesting that those who engage in such contempt are failing to recognize effort and merit.

Example 4:

她蔑视权势，却不知道自己也深陷其中。

Pinyin: Tā miè shì quánshì, què bù zhīdào zìjǐ yě shēn xiàn qí zhōng.

English: She despises power and influence, yet doesn't realize she herself is deeply entangled in them.

Deep Analysis: This ironic example shows 蔑视 used to describe an internal contradiction. The subject claims to 蔑视权势 (“despise power”) while exhibiting the very attitudes she claims to reject. The juxtaposition creates a critical portrait that suggests hypocrisy or self-deception. The verb 却 (“yet/but”) signals the contradiction, while the phrase 不知道 (“doesn't know”) suggests the subject's lack of self-awareness.

Example 5:

这部小说蔑视女性的描写激起了读者的强烈抗议。

Pinyin: Zhè bù xiǎoshuō miè shì nǚxìng de miáoxiě jī qǐ le dúzhě de qiángliè kàngyì.

English: The novel's contemptuous depiction of women provoked strong protests from readers.

Deep Analysis: Here, 蔑视 describes an authorial stance attributed to a literary work rather than to a specific person. The object is 女性 (“women”) as a category, and the subject is implied to be the ideological position of the novel. The verb 激起 (“provoke/arouse”) indicates that the contemptuous attitude has been recognized by readers and found objectionable. This usage demonstrates how 蔑视 can describe textual and artistic meaning-making as well as individual attitudes.

Example 6:

在那个时代，知识分子的言论常常被蔑视。

Pinyin: Zài nàgè shídài, zhīshì fenzǐ de yánlùn chángcháng bèi miè shì.

English: In that era, the statements of intellectuals were often contemptuously dismissed.

Deep Analysis: The passive construction 被蔑视 shows 蔑视 used in contexts where the target of contempt lacks power to resist or respond. The temporal phrase 在那个时代 (“in that era”) grounds the observation historically, suggesting that such contempt was characteristic of a particular social-political configuration. The adverb 常常 (“often/frequently”) indicates a pattern rather than an isolated incident.

Example 7:

成功不应该成为蔑视弱者的理由。

Pinyin: Chénggōng bù yīnggāi chéngwéi miè shì ruòzhě de lǐyóu.

English: Success should not become a reason to despise the weak.

Deep Analysis: This prescriptive sentence uses 蔑视 in a moral-philosophical context, arguing against the instrumentalization of success as justification for contempt. The term 弱者 (“the weak”) refers to a category of vulnerable persons, and the sentence implies that success-based contempt for such persons constitutes a moral failing. The negative modal 不应该 (“should not”) establishes the speaker's normative position.

Example 8:

面对权威的蔑视，他选择了沉默。

Pinyin: Miàn duì quánwēi de miè shì, tā xuǎnzé le chénmò.

English: Faced with contempt from authority, he chose silence.

Deep Analysis: This example describes a response to experienced 蔑视 rather than expressing the attitude itself. The noun phrase 权威的蔑视 (“contempt from authority”) indicates that the source of contempt is someone in a superior position. The phrase 他选择了沉默 (“he chose silence”) suggests that responding to such contempt directly would be dangerous or ineffective, and that the subject has calculated that silence is the wiser course.

Example 9:

蔑视的眼神往往比言语更能伤害人。

Pinyin: Miè shì de yǎnshén wǎngwǎng bǐ yányǔ gèng néng shāngrén.

English: Contemptuous eyes often can hurt people more than words.

Deep Analysis: Here, 蔑视 appears as a modifier describing a type of gaze or expression (蔑视的眼神, “contemptuous eyes”) rather than as a verb describing an attitude. This nominalized usage shows the term's flexibility. The philosophical observation emphasizes the power of non-verbal communication and the depth of hurt that contempt can inflict, even in silence.

Example 10:

现代社会的某些观念蔑视了人类基本的情感需求。

Pinyin: Xiàndài shèhuì de mǒu xiē guānniàn miè shì le rénlèi jīběn de qínggǎn xūqiú.

English: Certain ideas in modern society have contemptuously disregarded basic human emotional needs.

Deep Analysis: This example uses 蔑视 with the perfective aspect marker 了, indicating that the contemptuous attitude has already produced effects. The subject is 某些观念 (“certain ideas”) rather than a person, suggesting that the term can describe the ideological character of social systems or intellectual frameworks. The phrase 人类基本的情感需求 (“basic human emotional needs”) establishes what has been devalued by these contemptuous ideas.

Example 11:

不要蔑视任何一个努力改变命运的人。

Pinyin: Bù yào miè shì rènhé yīgè nǔlì gǎibiàn mìngyùn de rén.

English: Do not despise any person who strives to change their fate.

Deep Analysis: This imperative sentence uses 蔑视 in a positive moral context, urging the listener to avoid the attitude being described. The qualifier 任何一个 (“any single”) emphasizes the universal scope of the moral prohibition, while 努力改变命运的人 (“people who strive to change their fate”) frames the targets of potential contempt as admirable rather than worthy of disdain.

Example 12:

他们的作品充满了对资本主义的蔑视。

Pinyin: Tāmen de zuòpǐn chōngmǎnle duì zīběn zhǔyì de miè shì.

English: Their works are filled with contempt for capitalism.

Deep Analysis: This example uses 蔑视 as a noun phrase, with the preposition 对…的 establishing the object of the contemptuous attitude. The subject is 他们的作品 (“their works”), indicating that the term can describe the ideological character of artistic production. The adjective 充满 (“filled with”) emphasizes the completeness and intensity of the contempt expressed.

Learning to use 蔑视 correctly requires understanding not just its meaning but the subtle social and pragmatic factors that govern its appropriate deployment. The following section identifies common errors made by non-native speakers and provides guidance for avoiding them.

Mistake 1: Overusing in Everyday Contexts

Wrong: 我的室友蔑视我，因为我忘记洗碗了。

Pinyin: Wǒ de室友 miè shì wǒ, yīnwèi wǒ wàngjì xǐ wǎnle.

English: My roommate despises me because I forgot to wash the dishes.

Right: 我的室友对我很不满，因为我忘记洗碗了。

Pinyin: Wǒ de室友 duì wǒ hěn bùmǎn, yīnwèi wǒ wàngjì xǐ wǎnle.

English: My roommate is very upset with me because I forgot to wash the dishes.

Explanation: Using 蔑视 to describe someone's reaction to a minor domestic infraction dramatically miscalibrates the term's intensity. The original sentence treats forgetting to wash dishes as equivalent to a fundamental moral failing that warrants complete contempt. Native speakers would find this usage hyperbolic and potentially humorous in an unintended way. For everyday interpersonal conflicts, consider expressions like 不满 (bùmǎn, “dissatisfied”), 生气 (shēngqì, “angry”), or 讨厌 (tǎoyàn, “annoyed with”).

Mistake 2: Directing at Superiors or Authority Figures in Formal Contexts

Wrong: 我蔑视公司的新政策。

Pinyin: Wǒ miè shì gōngsī de xīn zhèngcè.

English: I despise the company's new policies.

Right: 我对公司的新政策持保留意见。

Pinyin: Wǒ duì gōngsī de xīn zhèngcè chí bǎoliú yìjiàn.

English: I have reservations about the company's new policies.

Explanation: While expressing disagreement with organizational decisions is acceptable, using 蔑视 to describe your attitude toward employer policies is professionally inappropriate and potentially career-damaging. The term's intensity and moral weight suggest not merely disagreement but fundamental rejection of the policy-maker's competence and character. In professional contexts, opt for more measured expressions like 持保留意见 (“hold reservations”) or 不太认同 (“don't fully agree with”).

Mistake 3: Confusing 蔑视 with Simple Dislike

Wrong: 我蔑视香菜的味道。

Pinyin: Wǒ miè shì xiāngcài de wèidao.

English: I despise the taste of cilantro.

Right: 我很讨厌香菜的味道。

Pinyin: Wǒ hěn tǎoyàn xiāngcài de wèidao.

English: I really dislike the taste of cilantro.

Explanation: 蔑视 is designed to express contempt for persons, behaviors, or ideas—it is not appropriate for expressing personal preferences about food, activities, or aesthetic matters. Using the term for something as trivial as cilantro preferences would strike native speakers as absurdly dramatic. The adjective 讨厌 (“dislike”) and verb 不喜欢 (“not like”) serve for expressing personal preferences appropriately.

Mistake 4: Using in Casual Social Media Posts Without Context

Wrong: 今天又被老板骂了，真的蔑视这种人。

Pinyin: Jīntiān yòu bèi lǎobǎn màle, zhēn de miè shì zhè zhǒng rén.

English: Got scolded by the boss again today, I really despise this kind of person.

Right: 今天又被老板骂了，真的很烦这种人。

Pinyin: Jīntiān yòu bèi lǎobǎn màle, zhēn de hěn fán zhè zhǒng rén.

English: Got scolded by the boss again today, I really find this kind of person annoying.

Explanation: While venting frustration about workplace situations is understandable, deploying 蔑视 in a casual social media post about one's boss reads as both unprofessional and disproportionate. The term carries too much philosophical and moral weight for casual complaints about work stress. More appropriate casual expressions include 烦 (fán, “annoying”), 无语 (wúyǔ, “speechless”), or 真气人 (zhēn qìrén, “really infuriating”).

Mistake 5: Assuming 蔑视 Always Indicates Personal Contempt

Wrong: 他说你的报告不好，他一定蔑视你。

Pinyin: Tā shuō nǐ de bàogào bù hǎo, tā yīdìng miè shì nǐ.

English: He said your report wasn't good, he must despise you.

Right: 他说你的报告不好，这不一定意味着他蔑视你。

Pinyin: Tā shuō nǐ de bàogào bù hǎo, zhè bù yīdìng yìwèizhe tā miè shì nǐ.

English: He said your report wasn't good, that doesn't necessarily mean he despises you.

Explanation: Critical feedback about work products does not automatically indicate the kind of fundamental, comprehensive devaluation that 蔑视 describes. People can critique work while still respecting the person's fundamental worth. Jumping to 蔑视 based on a single critical comment misunderstands the term's meaning and intensity.

Mistake 6: Using 蔑视 to Describe Temporary States

Wrong: 她现在蔑视我，但她明天可能就不生气了。

Pinyin: Tā xiànzài miè shì wǒ, dàn tā míngtiān kěnéng jiù bù shēngqì le.

English: She despises me right now, but she might not be angry tomorrow.

Explanation: 蔑视 describes a settled, considered attitude rather than a momentary emotional state. While someone might temporarily feel contemptuous (which might be better expressed as temporary forms like 讨厌), 蔑视 suggests a stable judgment that would not fluctuate based on daily circumstances. If describing someone's current emotional state, use terms like 生气 (shēngqì, “angry”), 讨厌 (tǎoyàn, “annoyed”), or 失望 (shīwàng, “disappointed”).

Mistake 7: Forgetting the Formal Register

Wrong: 蔑视这个词在口语里经常用。

Pinyin: Miè shì zhège cí zài kǒuyǔ lǐ jīngcháng yòng.

English: The word 蔑视 is used frequently in spoken language.

Explanation: While 蔑视 can appear in spoken Chinese, it is fundamentally a formal, literary term. Its frequency in everyday conversation is much lower than in written, academic, or formal contexts. For describing the same concept in casual conversation, speakers typically use 鄙视 (bǐ shì) or 看不起 (kàn bu qǐ). Overestimating the colloquial frequency of 蔑视 can lead to using it in inappropriate informal contexts.

The following related terms and concepts will deepen your understanding of 蔑视 and its place within the broader semantic field of Chinese emotional and social expression.

• 鄙视 (bǐ shì) - To despise, to look down on with strong contempt. More emotionally intense than 蔑视 and more common in everyday speech.
• 轻视 (qīng shì) - To regard as unimportant, to treat lightly. Lower intensity than 蔑视, focuses on lack of serious consideration rather than moral judgment.
• 藐视 (miǎo shì) - To regard with contempt, to disdain. Similar register to 蔑视 but more commonly used in legal/official contexts.
• 傲慢 (àomàn) - Arrogant, haughty. Describes the character trait that often underlies contemptuous attitudes.
• 偏见 (piānjiàn) - Prejudice, bias. Related to the attitudes that may motivate or justify 蔑视.
• 歧视 (qíshì) - Discrimination. Systemic 蔑视 that manifests in unequal treatment.
• 尊重 (zūnzhòng) - Respect. The opposite of 蔑视 in the interpersonal domain.
• 面子 (miànzi) - Face, social reputation. The social currency that 蔑视 attacks and damages.
• 尊严 (zūnyán) - Dignity, self-respect. The quality that 蔑视 denies to its targets.
• 阶层 (jiēcéng) - Social class, stratum. The social structure within which 蔑视 often operates.