返す

• Reading: かえす
• Romaji: kaesu
• Kanji breakdown: 返 (hen/kae) — to return, to give back
• Pronunciation: /ka.e.sɯ/

Meaning

To return (something); to give back; to restore. Used when giving back something borrowed.

A Group 1 (godan) verb with a す stem. Used for returning borrowed items, money, and favours. に marks the person you return to, を marks the item. Often paired with 借りる (kariru, to borrow) in learning contexts. The intransitive form 返る (kaeru) means 'to come back.'

Examples

1. 図書館に本を返さなければなりません。 I have to return the book to the library.
2. 借りたお金を来週返します。 I'll return the money I borrowed next week.
3. ノートを友達に返してください。 Please give the notebook back to your friend.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, library, friends

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 返 combines 辶 (movement radical) and 反 (to turn over/reverse), suggesting the act of turning something around and sending it back to where it came from.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal