拝見・拜見|はいけんhaiken[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
拝見拝見 is the more common spelling and the form learners should use when writing the word. It is written with kanji only.
拜見拜見 is a less common variant written with an outdated kanji; recognize it when encountered, but use 拝見 when writing the word.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbseeing; looking at
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 拝見する（はいけんする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 拝見します（はいけんします） |
| Negative (nai) | 拝見しない（はいけんしない） |
| polite (masen) | 拝見しません（はいけんしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 拝見せず・拝見せぬ（はいけんせず・はいけんせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 拝見した（はいけんした） |
| polite (mashita) | 拝見しました（はいけんしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 拝見しなかった（はいけんしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 拝見しませんでした（はいけんしませんでした） |
| Te form | 拝見して（はいけんして） |
| Potential | 拝見できる（はいけんできる） |
| Passive | 拝見される（はいけんされる） |
| Causative | 拝見させる（はいけんさせる） |
| Causative passive | 拝見させられる（はいけんさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 拝見すれば（はいけんすれば） |
| tara | 拝見したら（はいけんしたら） |
| Volitional | 拝見しよう（はいけんしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 拝見しましょう（はいけんしましょう） |
| Imperative | 拝見しろ（はいけんしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym拝観はいかんFormalHumble form for respectfully viewing temples, shrines and their treasures, as in 「寺を拝観する」; 「拝見」 is humble looking in general, whatever the object.
- SynonymみるNeutralThe ordinary word for looking, as in 「テレビを見る」, with no honorific. Say 「拝見する」 to humble your own looking, 「ご覧になる」 for a superior's.
- Synonym拝読はいどくFormalHumble form for reading, used of written matter, as in 「お手紙を拝読しました」. 「拝見」 covers looking at anything, not just texts.
- Synonym披見ひけんWrittenWritten-style word for opening and reading a document. It carries no honorific force, unlike the humble 「拝見」.
- Relatedご覧になるごらんになるFormalHonorific for an superior's or other's looking, as in 「こちらをご覧になってください」. 「拝見」 is the humble counterpart for one's own action.
- Related診るみるNeutralMeans a doctor examining a patient, as in 「患者を診る」; it carries no honorific sense, whereas 「拝見」 humbles the speaker's own looking.
- Related読むよむNeutralPlain verb for reading, as in 「本を読む」. No honorific; use 「拝見」 only when humbly saying you will look at or read something.
- Related閲覧えつらんWrittenWritten-style word for looking through books, documents or web pages, as in 「閲覧室」. Neutral perusal, without the humility of 「拝見」.
- Related眺めるながめるNeutralMeans gazing at or taking in a view, as in 「景色を眺める」, with no honorific sense; 「拝見」 adds humility to whatever you look at.
- Related見入るみいるNeutralMeans being absorbed in gazing at something, as in 「絵に見入る」. 「拝見」 simply humbles the act of looking.
- Related観覧かんらんWrittenWritten-style word for viewing shows or scenery, as in 「観覧車」. No humble nuance, unlike 「拝見」.
- Related見守るみまもるNeutralMeans watching over or keeping an eye on something, as in 「成長を見守る」. 「拝見」 is just humble looking.
- Relatedご覧なさるごらんなさるFormalHonorific for someone else's looking, the opposite direction from 「拝見」, which humbles one's own looking.
- Related閲読えつどくWrittenWritten-style word for reading a document or book thoroughly. Rare and not respectful; in daily speech people say 「読む」.
- Related見て取るみてとるNeutralMeans perceiving or grasping a situation, as in 「状況を見て取る」. About understanding what you see, not humble looking.
- Related書見しょけんWrittenWritten-style, somewhat old-fashioned word for reading books. No humble nuance, unlike 「拝見」.
- Related照覧しょうらんFormalHonorific for the clear seeing of gods or Buddha, as in 「神も照覧あれ」. A set formal phrase, not a general humble verb like 「拝見」.
- Related見とるみとるCasualColloquial: perceiving or making out what one sees, or copying from a model, as in 「図を見取る」. No honorific sense.
For humbly saying you look at or read something, use 「拝見」. Use 「拝観」 for visiting temples and shrines, 「拝読」 for respectfully reading, and 「ご覧になる」 for a superior's looking. For plain looking say 「見る」; for browsing documents or pages 「閲覧」, for gazing at scenery 「眺める」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
