不可小觑
bù kě xiǎo qù
not to be underestimated; formidable
Character by character
不bù
not
not
可kě
may
may
小xiǎo
lightly
lightly
觑qù
look at
look at
Example
这家新公司虽然只有几十个人，但技术实力不可小觑。
This new company has only a few dozen people, but its technical strength is not to be underestimated.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
觑 is qù, “to look at”, so 小觑 is to look down on. Formal, mostly in news and commentary, with subjects such as 实力, 力量, 影响 and 对手. 不容小觑 means the same; in speech people say 别小看.
Learn this in Lesson 72 · HSK 6: DeepSeek与大模型 (DeepSeek and the AI race)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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