Meaning
Think of 帰 as the 'heading back to base' kanji. It describes returning to a place where you naturally belong, such as your house, your hometown, or your native country. While other words like modoru describe returning to a physical spot (like turning back to find lost keys), 帰 carries a sense of social or emotional belonging. You kaeru to your family, but you modoru to the office because you forgot your umbrella.
The character has a long history and was originally written as 歸. This complex version featured elements representing movement and a woman being escorted home. Over time, it was simplified into the 10-stroke version used today. It is categorized under the radical 巾 (haba), which means cloth or towel, visible on the right side of the character.
As an N4 level kanji taught in the 2nd grade, this is a word you will use every single day. Whether you are leaving work, finishing a trip, or talking about moving back to your country, this kanji provides the foundation for those conversations.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is キ (ki). You will find this reading in formal nouns and technical terms. It rarely stands alone and is almost always part of a multi-kanji compound.
- 帰国 (kikoku) — Returning to one's home country.
- 帰宅 (kitaku) — Returning home (a formal way to say 'going home' often used in business).
- 帰省 (kisei) — Homecoming; specifically returning to one's parents' house during holidays like Obon or New Year's.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The native readings are かえ.る (kae.ru) and かえ.す (kae.s). These are the versions you will hear in casual speech and daily greetings. The intransitive verb kaeru is one of the most common verbs in the Japanese language.
- 帰る (kaeru) — To go home; to return to one's point of origin.
- 帰す (kaesu) — To let someone go home; to send someone back.
- 日帰り (higaeri) — A day trip (literally 'sun-return').
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 帰 is versatile, appearing in everything from food menus to disaster drills.
Daily Life & Movement
- 帰り道 (kaerimichi) — The way home.
- 行き帰り (ikikaeri) — Round trip; going and returning.
- 持ち帰る (mochikaeru) — To take out food; to carry something back home.
- 寄り道して帰る (yorimichi shite kaeru) — To stop by a shop or cafe on the way home.
Formal & Professional Contexts
- 復帰 (fukki) — A comeback or reinstatement, such as returning to a job after an illness.
- 帰還 (kikan) — Repatriation or return, often used for military personnel or space missions.
- 帰化 (kika) — Naturalization; the legal process of changing one's citizenship.
- 一斉帰宅 (issei kitaku) — Mass return home, a term often used in emergency planning for earthquakes.
Example Sentences
もう家に帰りますか？
mō ie ni kaerimasu ka?
Are you going home already?
いつ国に帰るのですか？
itsu kuni ni kaeru no desu ka?
When are you returning to your country?
父はまだ帰宅していません。
chichi wa mada kitaku shite imasen.
My father hasn't come home yet.
仕事の帰りにスーパーへ行きました。
shigoto no kaeri ni sūpā e ikimashita.
I went to the supermarket on my way back from work.
京都へ日帰りで旅行に行きました。
Kyōto e higaeri de ryokō ni ikimashita.
I went on a day trip to Kyoto.
彼は来月チームに復帰する予定です。
kare wa raigetsu chīmu ni fukki suru yotei desu.
He is scheduled to return to the team next month.
雨が降ってきたので、急いで帰りましょう。
ame ga futte kita node, isoide kaerimashō.
It started raining, so let's hurry home.
Related Kanji
- 貸 — To lend, rent, or loan (Kanji N4)
- 集 — Gather, Collect, Assemble (Kanji N4)
- 知 — Know, Wisdom, Intellect (Kanji N4)
- 起 — Wake up, Rise, Happen (Kanji N4)
- 習: The Art of Practice and Habit (Kanji N4)
- 洗 — Wash (Kanji N4)
Memory Tip
To remember 帰, look at the right side: 巾 (towel). Imagine a worker who has been out in the fields all day. When they finally return home, the first thing they want to do is grab a fresh towel to wash their face. The left side looks like a series of steps or a path. Think: 'Follow the steps back to your home and your favorite towel.'