蒸し返す

• Reading: むしかえす
• Romaji: mushikaesu
• Kanji breakdown: 蒸 (jō/mu) — steam, sultry; 返 (hen/kae) — to return, to repeat
• Pronunciation: /mɯ.ɕi.ka.e.sɯ/

Meaning

To reheat by steaming; to bring up again; to revive a settled issue or old argument unnecessarily.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. Literally means to steam something again, as in reheating food. The figurative sense — reopening a closed matter or rehashing a past grievance — is far more common at N1 level. Used with a critical tone when someone insists on revisiting what had been resolved.

Examples

1. 解決済みの問題を蒸し返すのはやめてほしい。 I wish you'd stop dredging up issues that have already been resolved.
2. 彼女は何かというとあの件を蒸し返して責め立てる。 She brings up that incident again at every opportunity and lays into him.
3. 古い議論を蒸し返したところで何も変わらない。 Rehashing old arguments won't change anything.

Usage Guide

Context: arguments, interpersonal relationships, criticism

Tone: critical

Origin & History

Compound of 蒸し (steaming) and 返す (to return, to do again). The image is of reheating leftovers — bringing something old back to life, often unwantedly.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Middle-aged and older

Social background: Universal