蔑 means “contempt, despise”

べつ · betsu

Also: ignore, neglect, ridicule

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ないがしろ, なみする, くらい, さげすむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ベツ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 14 strokes

The story

Picture the grass (艹) on top as bristling eyebrows over narrowed eyes (罒), above a guard with a halberd (戈): a sentry looking down his nose. 軽蔑 is contempt, 蔑視 disdain for a whole group, and 蔑む is to despise.

Used in 軽蔑 (keibetsu, contempt), 蔑視 (besshi, disdain), and 蔑む (sagesumu, to despise)

More from Anger & Scorn

• 妬 envy
• 羨 envy
• 嘲 ridicule
• 苛 harsh
• 喝 shout
• 憤 indignation
• 恨 resent
• 侮 look down on
• 怨 grudge
• 叱 scold
• 嫉 jealousy
• 罵 curse

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.