閲覧

• Reading: えつらん
• Romaji: etsuran
• Kanji breakdown: 閲 (etsu) — inspect, review; 覧 (ran) — look, view, survey
• Pronunciation: /e.tsɯ.ɾaɴ/

Meaning

Inspection; reading; perusal; viewing of documents or web pages.

Refers to the act of reading or viewing documents, records, or web content. In traditional contexts, it means inspecting official records or library materials. In modern usage, it is the standard word for browsing web pages — ブラウザ is a 閲覧ソフト. Also used for access permissions: 閲覧権限 means viewing privileges.

Examples

1. この資料は図書館でのみ閲覧できます。 This document can only be viewed at the library.
2. ウェブサイトの閲覧履歴を削除した。 I deleted my web browsing history.
3. 閲覧注意の内容が含まれている場合があります。 The content may include material that requires viewer discretion.

Usage Guide

Context: internet, libraries, official documents

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 閲 (etsu, inspect/review) + 覧 (ran, look/view). Both characters relate to careful viewing — 閲 implies checking or examining, and 覧 implies surveying broadly.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal