Translation guide
The act of secretly looking at someone, often with a voyeuristic or sneaky connotation. Japanese has several words and phrases depending on the intent and context.
Secretly watching someone, especially in a sexual or privacy-invading context.
The most common word for peeping, often used for voyeurism (e.g., peeping into a bathroom or window). Can be used as a noun or part of a compound verb.
He was caught peeping.
Peeping is a crime.
Literally 'peep and see', a verb phrase that emphasizes the act of looking secretly. Slightly more formal than 覗く alone.
You mustn't peep into the next room.
Literally 'steal a look', implies a furtive, guilty glance. Often used for peeping at documents or screens, but can apply to people.
She peeped at his phone.
Looking through a small opening, like a keyhole or crack.
General verb for peeping or looking through a narrow opening. Can be used innocently (peeping into a shop) or voyeuristically.
I peeped through the crack in the door.
Don't peep through the keyhole.
Explicitly 'peep through a gap'. Useful for clarifying the method.
I peeped outside through a gap in the curtains.
A person who habitually peeps, especially a voyeur.
Literally 'peeping demon', a common term for a Peeping Tom or voyeur. Often used in news reports.
Apparently there's a Peeping Tom in the neighborhood.
Archaic slang for a voyeur, originating from a notorious early 20th-century peeping case. Now mostly historical or used jokingly.
A short, high-pitched sound like a bird or whistle.
Onomatopoeia for a peeping or chirping sound, like a chick or a whistle.
The chicks are peeping.
Alternative onomatopoeia for small bird sounds, slightly softer than ピーピー.
The little bird peeps.
While 覗く can mean 'peep' or 'look into', it often carries a sneaky nuance. For simply looking into a shop or checking something quickly, use 見る (みる) or ちょっと見る instead.
Let's take a quick look at the shop.
覗く focuses on the physical act of looking through an opening, while 盗み見 emphasizes the stealth and guilt of stealing a glance. 盗み見 is more literary and often used for reading someone's private information.
He's called a Peeping Tom.