How to Write 蔑 (miè) — Meaning “To despise / To slight”

Imagine a guard (戍) who is so lazy that he sleeps under a net (罒) covered with grass (艹). You despise him for this behavior, so the image helps connect the components to the meaning of despising or looking down on someone.

Write the top grass radical (艹) first with a horizontal stroke, then two vertical strokes, then another horizontal. Next, write the net (罒) with four strokes, and finally the bottom guard (戍) — be careful to place the dot on the left side before the curved hook stroke on the right. A common mistake is making the bottom part too large or misplacing the dot, which changes the character's balance.

The main difference is in the bottom component: 蔑 has 戍 (guard), while 莿 has 剌 (thorn) and 菐 has a different element. In meaning, only 蔑 relates to contempt or slander; 莿 often refers to a thorn or prick, and 菐 is an uncommon character usually meaning a type of plant.

蔑 appears in words like 轻蔑 (scornful), 蔑视 (to look down upon), and 污蔑 (slander). It is a formal or literary character used in serious contexts, such as expressing strong disapproval or making a false accusation, and is not commonly found in everyday HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 蔑 include: 轻蔑 (qīng miè) — Scornful; disdainful; 蔑视 (miè shì) — To look down upon / Contempt; 污蔑 (wū miè) — Slander / Defame.