侮蔑

• Reading: ぶべつ
• Romaji: bubetsu
• Kanji breakdown: 侮 (bu) — scorn, look down on; 蔑 (betsu) — despise, slight
• Pronunciation: /bɯ.be.tsɯ/

Meaning

Contempt; scorn; an attitude of regarding someone as worthless or undeserving of respect.

A noun (also 侮蔑する) expressing active disdain — treating someone as beneath consideration. Stronger than 軽蔑, 侮蔑 often implies a deliberate and visible display of contempt. It appears in legal contexts (侮蔑的発言, contemptuous statements), literature, and discussions of discrimination and human dignity.

Examples

1. 上司が部下を侮蔑するような言葉を使うのは、ハラスメントに当たる。 Using contemptuous language toward subordinates constitutes harassment.
2. 彼の顔には隠しきれない侮蔑の表情が浮かんでいた。 An expression of undisguised contempt appeared on his face.
3. 社会的弱者への侮蔑は、いかなる理由があろうと許されない。 Contempt toward the socially vulnerable is unacceptable, no matter the reason.

Usage Guide

Context: discrimination, workplace, ethics, social commentary

Tone: disapproving

Origin & History

Compound of 侮 (to scorn, to look down upon) and 蔑 (to despise, to slight). Both characters share the semantic field of contempt and disrespect, making their combination emphatic.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated