Chinese word

来回

Pronunciation

Pinyinlái huí

Meaning

  • adverbback and forth

Example

孩子在院子里来回跑。hái zi zài yuàn zi lǐ lái huí pǎo

The child runs back and forth in the yard.

Illustration for 来回 (back and forth)

More examples

客人在大厅里来回走动，显得有些不安。kè rén zài dà tīng lǐ lái huí zǒu dòng xiǎn de yǒu xiē bù ān

The guest walked back and forth in the lobby, looking a little uneasy.

Core concept

Movement that travels one way and then the other, often repeating along the same path.

Common phrases

  • 来回穿梭lái huí chuān suō

    shuttle back and forth

  • 来回徘徊lái huí pái huái

    wander back and forth

  • 来回奔波lái huí bēn bō

    rush back and forth

Similar words

反复fǎn fù: Describes an action or state that happens repeatedly, with no focus on direction.
来来回回lái lái huí huí: Describes repeated movement back and forth, often suggesting frequent trips along the same route.

Definition in Chinese

表示在两个方向之间往返或反复移动的状态，作副词时侧重描述动作来回进行的过程。biǎo shì zài liǎng gè fāng xiàng zhī jiān wáng fǎn huò fǎn fù yí dòng de zhuàng tài zuò fù cí shí cè zhòng miáo shù dòng zuò lái huí jìn xíng de guò chéng

Word origin

来 (lái, "come") + 回 (huí, "return") combines the two directions into the sense of moving out and back.

Usage tips

  • When counting journeys, context shows whether the word refers to one completed out-and-back journey or repeated movement; a number or classifier can make the count clear.

Other meanings

  • round tripnoun
  • comings and goingsnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 来回儿lái huírround tripnoun

Word lists with this word