拝見

• Reading: はいけん
• Romaji: haiken
• Kanji breakdown: 拝 (hai/oga) — worship, bow, humble; 見 (ken/mi) — see, look
• Pronunciation: /ha.i.keɴ/

Meaning

Looking at; seeing. The humble form of 見る, used when referring to one's own act of looking.

A noun used with する (拝見する) as a humble (謙譲語) expression. While 見る is neutral, 拝見する lowers the speaker's action to show respect. Common in business settings when asking to look at documents, menus, or products. Always used about your own actions, never about others.

Examples

1. お写真を拝見してもよろしいですか。 May I take a look at your photo?
2. 先日のメールを拝見しました。 I read the email you sent the other day.
3. パスポートを拝見いたします。 I'd like to see your passport, please.

Usage Guide

Context: business, customer service, formal occasions

Tone: humble

Origin & History

Compound of 拝 (worship, bow) and 見 (see). The character 拝 conveys a bowing posture, adding humility to the act of seeing.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Upper/formal