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回来

huí lai
HSK 3.0 Level 2 Verb Very common

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This word has multiple dictionary entries. Choose the reading or usage you want to review.

回来
huí lái Complement come back
回来
huí lai Verb to return; to come back

Definitions

  1. 1. to return; to come back

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Word relationships

Counterparts

1 item
回去
huí qu

to return

Complementary pair: 回来 (come back towards speaker) vs. 回去 (go back away from speaker)

Register variants

1 item
归来
guī lái

to return

Literary variant of 回来

Synonyms

1 item
返回
fǎn huí

to return to

Formal written equivalent of 回来

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used with 从 (from): 从...回来 (come back from...), e.g., 他从北京回来 (He came back from Beijing).

Common mistakes

回来 is directional: use 来 (come) when moving toward the speaker; use 回去 when moving away. Confusing them changes perspective.

Example Sentences

5 shown
我一会儿就 回来 。
I'll be back in a moment.
他当天就 回来 了。
He came back the same day.
你什么时候 回来 ？
When will you come back?
他刚从外地 回来 。
He just came back from another part of the country.
此后，他再也没有 回来 。
After this, he never came back.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 回来

来回来去
lái huí lái qù

repeatedly

来回来去地
lái huí lái qù de

backwards and forwards

话又说回来
huà yòu shuō huí lai

(but) then again; (but) on the other hand

话说回来
huà shuō huí lai

(but) then again; (but) on the other hand

赚回来
zhuàn huí lai

to earn back (money one invested, wasted etc)

Child Words of 回来

来
lái

to come

回
huí

to circle