不屑一顾
不屑一顾 (bù xiè yī gù) literally means “not deign one glance” and expresses “disdainfully dismiss as beneath consideration”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: bu xie yi gu, bu xie yi gu,不屑一顾 meaning, 不屑一顾 in english
Disdainfully dismiss as beneath consideration
Pronunciation: bù xiè yī gù Literal meaning: Not deign one glance
Origin & Usage
Not deigning (不屑) a single (一) glance (顾). 屑 carries the sense of considering something worth the trouble, so the refusal is specifically about worth rather than interest. What makes the phrase sting is the arithmetic of 一顾: a single look is the smallest attention that could be paid, and even that is being withheld. Contempt expressed by omission — stronger than any dismissal that involves actually saying something.
Examples
English: "The established professor dismissed the innovative theory without serious consideration"
Chinese: 这位资深教授不屑一顾地否定了这个创新理论，没有认真考虑
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
奋不顾身
fèn bù gù shēn
Selfless courage
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三顾茅庐
sān gù máo lú
Sincere invitation
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后顾之忧
hòu gù zhī yōu
Worry about the home front left behind
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顾此失彼
gù cǐ shī bǐ
Unable to cover everything at once
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一尘不染
yī chén bù rǎn
Moral purity
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一毛不拔
yī máo bù bá
Extremely stingy
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一丝不苟
yī sī bù gǒu
Extremely careful and thorough
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一窍不通
yī qiào bù tōng
Completely ignorant
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 不屑一顾 mean in English?
不屑一顾 (bù xiè yī gù) literally translates to “Not deign one glance” and is used to express “Disdainfully dismiss as beneath consideration”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 不屑一顾 used?
Situation: The established professor dismissed the innovative theory without serious consideration
What is the pinyin for 不屑一顾?
The pinyin pronunciation for 不屑一顾 is “bù xiè yī gù”.