戻す

• Reading: もどす
• Romaji: modosu
• Kanji breakdown: 戻 (rei/modo) — return, restore, put back
• Pronunciation: /mo.do.sɯ/

Meaning

To restore; to put back; to return (something). The act of returning something to its original position or state.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the す row. The transitive counterpart to 戻る (to return, intransitive). Used for putting things back (元に戻す), rewinding (巻き戻す), and restoring to a previous state. Also a euphemism for vomiting (吐き戻す). Very common in daily life and technology contexts (undo = 元に戻す).

Examples

1. 本を読んだら元の場所に戻してください。 Please put the book back where it was after you've read it.
2. 設定を初期状態に戻す方法を教えてほしい。 I'd like to know how to restore the settings to their default state.
3. 時計の針を一時間戻すのを忘れないで。 Don't forget to set the clock back one hour.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, technology, organization

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 戻 combines 戸 (door) and 大 (large). A large figure returning through the door — coming back to where one started.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal