覗き見る

• Reading: のぞきみる
• Romaji: nozokimiru
• Kanji breakdown: 覗 (shi/nozo) — peep, peek; 見 (ken/mi) — see, look
• Pronunciation: /no.zo.ki.mi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To peek at; to spy on; to steal a glance at something one is not supposed to see.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb of 覗く (to peek, to look through a narrow opening) and 見る (to see). 覗き見る intensifies the secretive or illicit nature of 覗く — not just glancing through a gap, but actively and deliberately spying on something private or forbidden. The word carries connotations of voyeurism, snooping, or covert surveillance. It can be used literally (peering through a crack in a door) or figuratively (prying into someone's private life or data).

Examples

1. 他人の日記を覗き見るなど、プライバシーの侵害にほかならない。 Peeking at someone else's diary is nothing short of an invasion of privacy.
2. 窓のカーテンの隙間から隣家を覗き見ていたとして、近所の男が注意を受けた。 A local man was cautioned after being found peeking at the neighbouring house through a gap in the window curtain.
3. アプリが利用者の個人情報を無断で覗き見ているとわかり、大きな問題になった。 It caused a major scandal when it was discovered that the app had been secretly accessing users' personal information without their consent.

Usage Guide

Context: privacy, law, daily life, technology

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Compound of 覗く (to peek — from a root meaning to look through a small opening) and 見る (to see). The combination emphasises sustained, intentional looking rather than a casual glance, and the subject matter is typically private or concealed.

Cultural Context

Era: Contemporary

Generation: All ages

Social background: General