不容小觑
bù róng xiǎo qù
not to be underestimated
Character by character
不bù
not
not
容róng
allow
allow
小xiǎo
lightly
lightly
觑qù
look
look
Example
这支球队虽然是第一次参赛，实力却不容小觑。
The team may be in the competition for the first time, but they are not to be underestimated.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
觑 (qù) is to look narrowly: 小觑 is to look down on. 不容小觑 is a little firmer than 不可小觑 (lesson 3-22) and very common in news: 影响不容小觑, 实力不容小觑.
Learn this in Lesson 123 · HSK 7–9: 年度数据发布会 (Press conference: the year in numbers)
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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