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引き返す (hikikaesu) Japanese meaning: turn back | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation 引き返す · godan verb (-su)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 引ひ き 返かえ す 引ひ き 返かえ さない Polite 引ひ き 返かえ します 引ひ き 返かえ しません Past polite 引ひ き 返かえ しました 引ひ き 返かえ しませんでした Past 引ひ き 返かえ した 引ひ き 返かえ さなかった Te-form 引ひ き 返かえ して 引ひ き 返かえ さないで Desire 引ひ き 返かえ したい 引ひ き 返かえ したくない Potential 引ひ き 返かえ せる 引ひ き 返かえ せない Passive 引ひ き 返かえ される 引ひ き 返かえ されない Causative 引ひ き 返かえ させる 引ひ き 返かえ させない Causative passive 引ひ き 返かえ させられる 引ひ き 返かえ させられない Volitional 引ひ き 返かえ そう Polite volitional 引ひ き 返かえ しましょう Imperative 引ひ き 返かえ せ 引ひ き 返かえ すな Conditional 引ひ き 返かえ せば 引ひ き 返かえ さなければ Tara conditional 引ひ き 返かえ したら 引ひ き 返かえ さなかったら
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家いえ
に
引ひ
き
返かえ
し
た
。
The rain got heavier, so I turned back home.
I realized I'd left something behind and went back to the station.
Usage patterns 〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 から 引ひ き 返かえ す to turn back from a place
We turned back partway up the mountain.
途と 中ちゅう で 引ひ き 返かえ す to turn back partway through a journey
Since the weather turned bad, we turned back halfway.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 へ 引ひ き 返かえ す to head back to a place
I noticed I'd forgotten something and headed back home.
Related words 戻る is a general intransitive verb for returning to a previous location or state, while 引き返す specifically emphasizes turning around and going back along the same route, often mid-journey.
帰る means to go home or return to one's base, whereas 引き返す does not necessarily imply returning home and focuses on the act of reversing direction.
折り返す is often used for doubling back partway through a journey, especially with transportation or runners, while 引き返す is the more general word for turning back.
Don't confuse with 繰り返す looks and sounds similar to 引き返す but means 'to repeat', not 'to turn back'.
引き返す means to turn back and return to a starting point, while 引き下がる means to withdraw or concede without implying a return trip.
引き返す means to turn back and return the way one came, while 振り返る means to turn one's head or body to look behind without changing direction.
Written forms 引ひ き 返かえ す Usage 82%
Standard kanji spelling with high priority.
ひきかえす Usage 8%
引ひき 返かえ す Usage 6%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
引ひ きかえす Usage 5%
Etymology Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'to pull') + 返す (kaesu, 'to return, send back'). Literally 'pull and return', referring to the action of turning oneself around.
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed kanji-kana form; not a standard spelling.
