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見返る (みかえる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

見み返かえる

み

か

え

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

look back; turn around to look

Intransitive verb meaning to turn one's head or body to look behind. Often used when walking away or hearing something behind you.

彼かれは呼よばれて、後うしろを見み返かえった。
He was called and looked back over his shoulder.
去さり際ぎわに一いち度どだけ見み返

かえ

っ

た

。

I looked back just once as I was leaving.

Written forms

見み返かえるUsage85%
Standard kanji spelling for 'to look back'.
みかえるUsage15%
Kana spelling is acceptable, especially in informal writing or when the kanji is not needed.

Kanji

見see, hopes, chances
返return, answer, fade

Similar words

振ふり返かえる
振り返る is more common for 'look back' or 'turn around', and can also mean 'reflect on the past'. 見返る is less frequent and focuses on the physical act of looking back, often with a nuance of checking behind you.

Etymology

Compound of 見 (mi, 'see') + 返る (kaeru, 'return'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparently 'look back'.