‘瞧不上’ is a colloquial verb phrase meaning ‘to look down upon’ or ‘to disdain’ someone or something — implying a strong sense of superiority, contempt, or dismissiveness. Literally, 瞧 means ‘to look’, 不 is the negative particle, and 上 here functions as a directional complement indicating ‘up to’ or ‘as worthy of attention’. So together, it conveys the idea of ‘not even looking up to [someone/something]’ — i.e., refusing to regard them as equal, competent, or respectable.

This expression is commonly used in informal spoken Chinese, especially in northern dialects and everyday conversation. It often carries emotional weight — suggesting personal judgment rather than objective evaluation — and frequently appears in interpersonal contexts: family disagreements, workplace tensions, or social comparisons. Unlike formal synonyms like 轻视, 瞧不上 feels more visceral and subjective, sometimes revealing the speaker’s bias or insecurity as much as their arrogance.