Recognize 帰 in 帰る and 帰国; learn the whole words and use them in everyday sentences.

The idea

帰 has 10 strokes; follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Read 帰る as かえる and 帰国 as きこく. Learn each reading together with the whole word and its meaning.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
帰るかえるreturn home
帰国きこくreturn to one’s country
帰りかえりway home
帰りますかえりますreturn home (polite)

Examples

  • 六時ろくじに家いえへ帰かえります。I return home at six.
  • 来月らいげつ国くにに帰かえります。I return to my country next month.
  • 帰かえりにパンを買かいます。I buy bread on my way home.
  • 姉あねは来週らいしゅう帰国きこくします。My older sister returns to her country next week.
  • 仕事しごとの後あと、まっすぐ帰かえります。I go straight home after work.
  • 明日あしたは早はやく帰かえります。I will go home early tomorrow.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

帰る means that a person returns, often home; 返す means giving something back, as when returning a book. Both begin with かえ, but use different kanji.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 帰る in hiragana.

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    かえる

    帰る is read かえる; it means return home. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  2. Write the reading of 帰国 in hiragana.

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    きこく

    帰国 is read きこく; it means return to one’s country. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  3. Complete the missing kanji from this lesson: ＿り（かえり）.

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    帰

    帰 completes 帰り, read かえり; the complete expression means way home.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 帰 from memory in stroke order, and read 帰る and 帰国 aloud. Then check their readings and meanings.