Meaning
拜访 means to formally visit someone, especially to show respect or conduct business. It carries a more formal, polite tone than casual words like 看 (kàn). The word combines 拜 (to pay respects) and 访 (to visit/inquire), emphasizing the respectful nature of the visit.
Usage
拜访 is typically used for visiting people, not places. It implies a planned, purposeful visit rather than a casual drop-by. Common in business contexts, diplomatic settings, or when visiting elders or important figures. Native speakers often use it when they want to show politeness or formality about meeting someone.
Examples
- 01下周我要去拜访一位老朋友。.Next week I'm going to visit an old friend.
- 02经理明天会拜访几个重要客户。.The manager will visit several important clients tomorrow.
Characters
Measure words
- 次拜访了两次
Common collocations
- 拜访客户to visit clients
- 登门拜访to visit someone at their home
- 专程拜访to make a special trip to visit
Origin
The character 拜 originally depicted hands in a gesture of respect or worship, while 访 combines the speech radical with a phonetic component, relating to inquiry and visitation.