一 見(いちげん)

いちげん

noun

first-time customer; new customer; first visit

1. first-time customer; new customer; first visit to an establishment

A customer visiting a shop, restaurant, or establishment for the first time. Often used in traditional Japanese businesses where regular customers are valued.

この店(みせ)は一見(いちげん)さんお断(ことわ)りだ。

This shop doesn't accept first-time customers.

一見(いちげん)の客(きゃく)でも歓迎(かんげい)してくれた。

They welcomed me even though I was a first-time customer.

紹介(しょうかい)がないと一見(いちげん)では入(はい)れない料亭(りょうてい)だ。

It's a traditional restaurant that first-timers can't enter without an introduction.

Etymology

一(いち) (one/first) + 見(げん) (seeing/meeting)

Literally "first meeting/seeing" - refers to the first time a customer visits.

Common expressions

「一見(いちげん)さんお断(ことわ)り」 is a famous expression meaning "first-time customers not accepted." Common at:

Traditional 料亭(りょうてい) (high-end Japanese restaurants)
Exclusive お茶屋(ちゃや) (teahouses in Kyoto)
Member-only establishments
High-end バー (bars)

Cultural note

This practice exists to:

Maintain quality of service
Ensure customers understand etiquette
Protect privacy of regular customers
Preserve exclusive atmosphere

Typically, a referral from a regular customer (常連(じょうれん)) is needed for first-time entry.

Common collocations

一見(いちげん)さん - first-time customer (polite)
一見(いちげん)の客(きゃく) - first-time customer
一見(いちげん)お断(ことわ)り - no first-timers

Similar words

常連(じょうれん) - regular customer
お得意(とくい)さん - valued regular customer
馴染(なじ)み - familiar customer

Pronunciation

Different from 一見(いっけん) (at first glance) which has different kanji reading and meaning.

Related Words

Antonym: 常連(じょうれん) (regular customer)

Compare: 馴染(なじ)み (familiar customer)

general

Added 2026.1.19 22:50 · Revised 2026.10.11 22:20

07000/07459_ichigen