Chinese word

归来

Pronunciation

Pinyinguī lái

Meaning

  • verbcome back

Example

他晚上才归来。tā wǎn shàng cái guī lái

He did not come back until evening.

Illustration for 归来 (come back)

More examples

大学毕业后他从国外归来，带回了许多见闻。dà xué bì yè hòu tā cóng guó wài guī lái dài huí le xǔ duō jiàn wén

After graduating from college, he returned from abroad, bringing back many stories and experiences.

Core concept

Movement from elsewhere reaches its original place, with arrival as the settled endpoint.

Common phrases

  • 久别归来jiǔ bié guī lái

    return after a long separation

  • 从国外归来cóng guó wài guī lái

    return from abroad

Similar words

回来huí lái: Come back to the relevant place after going out, with movement toward it.
返回fǎn huí: Return to the point of departure or to a chosen destination.
回到huí dào: Get back to the place left earlier or to the intended destination.
回家huí jiā: Go back to the place where one lives.

Definition in Chinese

从外地或离开处回到原来的所在地或所属处，侧重回到并已到达的结果，语体偏书面。cóng wài dì huò lí kāi chù huí dào yuán lái de suǒ zài dì huò suó shǔ chù cè zhòng huí dào bìng yǐ dào dá de jié guǒ yú tǐ piān shū miàn

Word origin

归来 (guīlái, "come back") combines 归 (guī, "return") with 来 (lái, "come"), framing return as movement back to the relevant place.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this verb has a literary or narrative tone, so casual speech usually chooses a simpler everyday expression.

Other meanings

  • returnverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word