回 huí return

源How it came to be

A spiral, drawn as a line turning in on itself; the older forms still show it curling rather than squaring off. Water turning in an eddy comes back to where it started.

用How it is used

• 'Return / go back' - 回家 (huí jiā) go home, 回来 (huílái) come back, 回去 (huíqù) go back.
• Also 'reply/respond' in compounds: 回答 (huídá) answer, 回信 (huíxìn) write back.
• Doubles as a measure word for times/occurrences - 一回 (yì huí) once, interchangeable with 次 in speech but a touch more colloquial.

字Characters built with 回

• 徊 to linger

词Words with 回

• 回去huíqùto returnHSK 2
• 回来huíláito returnHSK 2
• 回答huídáto replyHSK 3
• 回忆huíyìto recallHSK 4
• 回信huíxìnto replyHSK 4
• 回复huífùto recoverHSK 4
• 回收huíshōuto recycleHSK 5
• 返回fǎnhuíto return toHSK 5
• 回头huítóuto turn roundHSK 6
• 回报huíbàoreturnHSK 6
• 回顾huígùto look backHSK 6
• 撤回chèhuíto recallHSK 6
• 回合huíhéone of a sequence of contests between the same two opponentsHSK 7
• 回味huíwèito call to mind and ponder overHSK 7
• 回应huíyìngto respondHSK 7
• 回想huíxiǎngto recallHSK 7
• 回落huíluòto fall backHSK 7
• 回首huíshǒuto turn aroundHSK 7
• 来回láihuíto make a round tripHSK 7
• 回升huíshēngto rise again after a fallHSK 8
• 回归huíguīto return toHSK 8
• 回忆录huíyìlùmemoirHSK 8
• 回避huíbìto shunHSK 8
• 回馈huíkuìto repay a favorHSK 8
• 峰回路转fēnghuí-lùzhuǎnthe mountain road twists around each new peakHSK 8
• 巡回xúnhuíto go aroundHSK 8
• 挽回wǎnhuíto retrieveHSK 8
• 退回tuìhuíto return (an item)HSK 9
• 驳回bóhuíto rejectHSK 9

句Example sentences

• 时间很晚了，我们回家吧！ Shíjiān hěn wǎn le, wǒmen huíjiā ba!It's very late, so let's go home!
• 我以为你已经回家了。 Wǒ yǐwéi nǐ yǐjīng huíjiā le.I thought you had already gone home.
• 她放学后接着就回家了。 Tā fàngxué hòu jiēzhe jiù huíjiā le.She went home after classes were over.
• 他完成了工作，于是回家了。 Tā wánchéngle gōngzuò, yúshì huíjiā le.He finished the work and then went home.