What does 帰 mean in Japanese?
帰 means “return home” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 帰る (to return; to go home), 帰国 (returning to one’s country), and 帰り道 (way home).
For learners, the key is to study 帰 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: キ (ki)
Kun’yomi: かえ-る (kae-ru), かえ-す (kae-su)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 帰 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
帰 is not limited to one English translation. In 帰る (かえる), it means to return; to go home; in 帰国 (きこく), it points to returning to one’s country; and in 帰り道 (かえりみち), it is used for way home. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 帰る（かえる / kaeru） — to return; to go home
- 帰国（きこく / kikoku） — returning to one’s country
- 帰り道（かえりみち / kaerimichi） — way home
- 持ち帰る（もちかえる / mochikaeru） — to take home
- 日帰り（ひがえり / higaeri） — day trip
- 帰宅（きたく / kitaku） — returning home
Example Sentences
-
今日は早く帰ります。
きょうははやくかえります。 / Kyō wa hayaku kaerimasu.
I will go home early today.
-
友だちは明日帰国します。
ともだちはあしたきこくします。 / Tomodachi wa ashita kikoku shimasu.
My friend will return to their country tomorrow.
-
帰り道でパンを買いました。
かえりみちでぱんをかいました。 / Kaerimichi de pan o kaimashita.
I bought bread on the way home.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 帰る (かえる / kaeru) because it keeps the core meaning of 帰 clear. Then add 帰国 and 帰り道 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 帰 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
帰 means “return home” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 帰る, 帰国, and 帰り道.