返答

• Reading: へんとう
• Romaji: hentou
• Kanji breakdown: 返 (hen) — return, send back; 答 (tou) — answer, reply
• Pronunciation: /hen.toː/

Meaning

Reply; answer; response. A response given to a question, request, or communication.

Slightly more formal than 返事 and closer in register to 回答 or 応答. 返答 often implies a verbal or written response to a specific question or challenge and can carry the nuance of an explanation or justification. Common constructions include 返答に窮する (to be at a loss for an answer), 返答を避ける (to avoid answering), and 明確な返答 (a clear response).

Examples

1. 突然の質問に返答に窮し、彼はしばらく黙ったまま立っていた。 Caught off guard by the sudden question, he stood there in silence, unable to respond.
2. 何度問い合わせても返答がなく、対応の遅さに苛立ちを感じた。 No matter how many times I inquired, I received no reply, and the slow response frustrated me.
3. 明確な返答を求める書面を送ったが、一週間経っても連絡がない。 I sent a letter demanding a clear response, but a week passed with no word back.

Usage Guide

Context: correspondence, business, conversation, negotiation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 返 means to return, 答 means to answer — together expressing the act of sending an answer back in response to communication received.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal