蔑視

• Reading: べっし
• Romaji: besshi
• Kanji breakdown: 蔑 (betsu) — despise, slight; 視 (shi) — look, regard
• Pronunciation: /beɕ.ɕi/

Meaning

Contempt; looking down on someone; regarding a person or group as inferior.

A noun (also 蔑視する) denoting the act of viewing others with contempt or disdain, often in systemic or structural contexts such as discrimination. 蔑視 tends to appear in public discourse — media, legal language, social criticism — more than in casual conversation, implying a pattern of disrespect rather than a momentary emotion.

Examples

1. 民族的偏見に基づく蔑視は、社会の根底を揺るがす問題だ。 Contempt rooted in ethnic prejudice is a problem that shakes the very foundations of society.
2. 彼女はその会社が女性を蔑視する文化を持っていると感じ、転職を決意した。 She felt the company had a culture of looking down on women and decided to change jobs.
3. 貧困者への蔑視がいかに根深いかを、このドキュメンタリーは明らかにしている。 This documentary reveals just how deeply rooted the contempt toward those living in poverty really is.

Usage Guide

Context: discrimination, social justice, journalism, ethics

Tone: critical

Origin & History

Compound of 蔑 (to despise, to slight) and 視 (to look, to regard). The combination precisely captures the act of directing a contemptuous gaze downward at others.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated