Translation and Meaning of: 見下ろす - miorosu

The expression 「見下ろす」 (miorosu) is a combination of two quite common kanji. The first kanji, 「見」 (mi), means "to see" or "to observe" and is composed of the eye radical 「目」 and a component that suggests "seeing." The second kanji, 「下」 (orosu), means "below" or "to descend," and is often used to indicate direction or lower position. Thus, the combination of the two characters results in the literal meaning of "to look down," which is exactly the essence of this word.

In practice, 「見下ろす」 is used to describe the action of looking down at something from above, such as when admiring a landscape from a mountain or a tall building. Additionally, the expression is also a figure of speech to describe a situation of superiority or condescension, like someone who "looks down" on another person. This double meaning adds cultural depth, highlighting the importance of contextual nuances in the use of the Japanese language.

Historically, the use of 「見下ろす」 dates back to the value that Eastern cultures assign to hierarchy and levels of respect. In samurai traditions, for example, the elevated position was often associated with nobility and power. Even today, the physical act of looking at something "from above" resonates with ideas of advantage or domination. Furthermore, this term reflects the topography of Japan, a country filled with mountains and tall buildings, providing many opportunities for the literal use of the word.

Vocabulary

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Verb conjugation of 見下ろす

• 見下ろす - basic form
• 見下ろします - polite form
• 見下ろさない - negative form
• 見下ろそう - potential form
• 見下ろせば conditional form

Synonyms and similar words

• 俯瞰する (fukan suru) - Observe from above, gaze at a panorama.
• 降り注ぐ (orinogosu) - Fall intensely, like rain or light coming down from above.
• 下から見る (shita kara miru) - View from below, low perspective.

見下ろす

Romaji: miorosu
Kana: みおろす
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n2

Translation / Meaning: ignore; to command a vision of; to look at something

Meaning in English: to overlook;to command a view of;to look down on something

Definition: View from above. Looking at things or people from above.

Example Sentences - (見下ろす) miorosu

See below some example sentences:

彼は高いビルから街を見下ろしていた。

Kare wa takai biru kara machi o mioroshite ita

He was looking at the city on top of a high building.

He looked at the city of a high building.

• 彼 (kare) - he (personal pronoun)
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 高い (takai) - tall (adjective)
• ビル (biru) - building (noun)
• から (kara) - of, from (particle)
• 街 (machi) - city ​​(noun)
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 見下ろしていた (mioroshiteita) - was looking down (verb in past progressive tense)