Definitions
(verb)
to despise; to belittle
(noun)
nothing
Etymology
Depicts a person with eyebrows (𦰋) being struck by a weapon (戈).
About
The character "蔑" originally conveyed the concept of damaging or obscuring the eye, with early meanings centered on blindness or impaired vision. Its structure, now standardized as the grass radical positioned above the component for guarding, historically integrated elements depicting an eye and a striking action to illustrate this physical harm. From this literal foundation, the meaning expanded metaphorically to denote neglect or disregard, evolving into the sense of disdain or contempt as the idea of visual impairment was applied to social and moral attitudes. In classical texts, this semantic progression further allowed the character to function as a term for negation or absence, effectively meaning "nothing" or "none", thereby broadening its lexical scope from concrete condition to abstract expression while maintaining a consistent written form across periods.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他脸上带着轻蔑的笑。
不要蔑视那些比你弱小的人。
这种诬蔑是对他人格的侮辱。
他蔑然转身，一句话也没说。
诬蔑他人名誉是违法的行为。
被告在法庭上表现出公然的蔑视。
他以实际行动粉碎了那些蔑称。
历史的评判终将蔑弃那些虚伪的谎言。