Onyomi: レイ · Kunyomi: もど.す, もど.る · Meanings: go backwards, re-, restore, resume, return, revert
Kanji for go backwards, re-, restore, resume, return
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The kanji 戻 is built from the elements 戸 (door) and 大 (person). In ancient times, it showed a person turning back toward a door — as if returning home or re-entering a place they had left. The door (戸) represents an entrance or barrier, and the person (大) beneath it symbolizes movement back inside. Over time, this combination came to mean “to return” or “to go back,” expressing both physical returning and emotional coming back to one’s origin or state.
戻 combines 戸 (door) and 大 (person), showing someone turning back toward a doorway. It expresses the idea of returning — going back to where you came from or restoring something to its place.
Imagine you’ve just stepped outside but realize you forgot something — you turn back toward the door (戸), arms wide (大), rushing to return. That’s 戻 — to go back or come back.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 戻る | もどる | to turn back (e.g. half-way) | common JLPT-N4 Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 戻す | もどす | to put back, to return, to give back, to restore (to a previous state, e.g. defrosting, reconstituting, reconciling), to turn back (e.g. clock hand) | common JLPT-N3 Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |
| 戻ってくる | もどってくる | to come back | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Kuru verb - special class |
| 悖る | もとる | to go against, to act contrary to, to run counter to, to deviate from | Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 戻って行く | もどっていく | to go back | Godan verb - Iku/Yuku special class |
| 戻し | もどし | returning, giving back | common Noun |
| 戻り | もどり | return, reaction, recovery | common Noun |
| 戻し交配 | もどしこうはい | backcrossing (crossing a hybrid with one of its parents) | Noun, Suru verb |
| 戻り値 | もどりち | return value, returned value | Noun |
| 戻り梅雨 | もどりづゆ | return of the rainy season, rainy season returning after a period of clear weather | Noun |
| 戻り道 | もどりみち | the way back | Noun |
| 戻し交雑 | もどしこうざつ | backcrossing | Noun |
| 戻入 | れいにゅう | reversal of monies, funds, commissions | Noun, Suru verb |