‘愚见’ (yú jiàn) literally means ‘foolish view’ — combining 愚 (yú, ‘foolish’ or ‘humble’) and 见 (jiàn, ‘view’, ‘opinion’, or ‘sight’). It is a highly polite, self-deprecating expression used to introduce one’s own opinion in formal or respectful contexts, such as business meetings, academic discussions, or conversations with elders or superiors. By calling one’s own opinion ‘foolish’, the speaker shows humility and deference, aligning with traditional Chinese values of modesty and respect for hierarchy.

This term functions exclusively as a noun phrase and always appears before a verb like ‘以为’ (yǐwéi, ‘think’), ‘认为’ (rènwéi, ‘believe’), or ‘觉得’ (juéde, ‘feel’), or after phrases like ‘我的’ (wǒ de, ‘my’) or ‘不揣冒昧，谨呈愚见’ (a formal closing in letters). It is never used to describe others’ opinions — only one’s own. While grammatically simple, its register is quite elevated; using it casually among peers may sound overly stiff or ironic.