归来 (guī lái) — how to say "to return" in Chinese

归来

To return

verb

Character composition

归

to return

来

to come

Radicals / Keys

彐

Snout

#58 · jì · 3 strokes

木

Tree

#75 · mù · 4 strokes

Collocations

胜利归来

shèng lì guī lái

return in triumph

平安归来

píng ān guī lái

return safely

海外归来

hǎi wài guī lái

return from overseas

Examples

春天来了,燕子归来了。

Spring has come, the swallows have returned.

他归来了。

He has returned.

Writing

Try remembering 归来

Three short exercises on meaning and pronunciation. Free, no sign-up needed.

Frequently asked questions

How to say return in Chinese?

"to return" in Chinese is 归来 (guī lái).

What does 归来 mean in English?

归来 (guī lái) means "To return".

How is 归来 pronounced?

It is pronounced guī lái (written as gui lai, guilai). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.

How do you write "to return" in Chinese characters?

It is written 归来: 归 has 5 strokes, 来 has 7 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.

What HSK 3.0 level is 归来?

归来 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.

Tomyo

Learn Chinese words with spaced repetition

Add 归来 to your vocabulary and remember it with smart reviews, audio and examples.

Download the app

More HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 words