Literary and somewhat formal expression meaning 'worthy of contempt' or 'despicable'. Used to describe actions, attitudes, or people that are morally repugnant.
His despicable conduct is unforgivable.
That is a contemptible way of thinking.
Standard kanji spelling for this expression.
Rare variant using 賤; not commonly encountered.
From the verb 卑しむ (to despise, to look down on) + the classical auxiliary べき (indicating obligation or worthiness). The verb 卑しむ itself derives from the adjective 卑しい (lowly, base).