LingakuFrequency rank: 16,994. – 17,057.
- to take advantage (e.g. of a weak situation); to size up (e.g. customer when setting a high price)idiomatic expressionfrom palanquin bearers gauging how weary a traveler's feet are, and raising the price accordingly
expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.); Ichidan verb
Forms
- 足元を見る【あしもとをみる】Frequency rank: 16,994. – 17,057.
- 足下を見る【あしもとをみる】Frequency rank: 46,119. – 47,037.
- 足もとを見る【あしもとをみる】
- あしもとをみる
Generated definitions (experimental)
- to take advantage (e.g. of a weak situation)
- to size up (e.g. customer when setting a high price)
This expression is used when someone is assessing another person's vulnerability or weakness in order to exploit it for their own benefit.
Finding the other person's weakness and taking advantage of it is common in the business world.
Actions that take advantage of the weak are unacceptable.
This usage refers to evaluating someone's situation or character, often to determine how to interact with them, such as pricing a product based on their perceived ability to pay.
Generated collocations (experimental)
あしもとをみられる足元を見られるto be taken advantage ofあしもとをみる足元を見るしょうばい商売opportunistic business practiceあしもとをみる足元を見るようなpredatory (in terms of business)あしもとをみる足元を見るつもりintention to take advantageあしもとをみる足元を見るたいど態度attitude of taking advantageあしもとをみる足元を見ることができるto be able to size up a situationあしもとをみる足元を見るためにin order to take advantageあしもとをみて足元を見てねだん値段をあげる上げるto raise the price by sizing up the customerあしもと足元にきをつける気を付けるto be cautious of one's footing (in a metaphorical sense)あしもとをみて足元を見てかいもの買い物をするto shop with an awareness of one's situation