繰り返す

• Reading: くりかえす
• Romaji: kurikaesu
• Kanji breakdown: 繰 (ku/kuri) — reel, spin; 返 (hen/kae) — return, repeat
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾi.ka.e.sɯ/

Meaning

To repeat; to do something over again. Used for actions, words, or patterns that recur.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the す row. Can be both transitive (to repeat something) and intransitive (something repeats). Very common in everyday speech, academic contexts, and instructions. Often appears as 繰り返し (repetition, as a noun or adverb meaning 'repeatedly').

Examples

1. 同じ失敗を繰り返さないように気をつけている。 I'm being careful not to repeat the same mistakes.
2. 先生は大事なところを何度も繰り返して説明した。 The teacher repeated the important parts several times in the explanation.
3. 歴史は繰り返すとよく言われている。 It's often said that history repeats itself.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, education, self-improvement

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 繰り (kuri, to reel/spin thread) and 返す (kaesu, to return). Originally described the motion of reeling thread back and forth — a cyclical, repetitive action.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal