Meaning
返回 means to return to a place or previous state. It's a more formal or written alternative to 回 or 回去, often used in contexts like returning home, returning to a website page, or going back to a previous location. The character 返 emphasizes the 'going back' aspect, while 回 means 'return.'
Usage
返回 is commonly used in written Chinese, news reports, technical contexts (like computer interfaces), and formal speech. In casual conversation, people often just say 回 or 回去 instead. You'll frequently see 返回 on buttons in apps and websites meaning 'back' or 'return.' It can be used with both physical returns (returning home) and abstract returns (returning to a topic).
Examples
- 01宇航员已经安全返回地球。.The astronauts have safely returned to Earth.
- 02请点击这个按钮返回上一页。.Please click this button to return to the previous page.
Characters
Common collocations
- 返回首页return to homepage
- 返回原地return to the original place
- 返回家乡return to one's hometown
- 安全返回to return safely
Antonyms
Origin
Both 返 and 回 independently mean 'to return.' The compound 返回 reinforces the meaning and creates a more formal register, a common pattern in Chinese for creating literary or technical vocabulary.