Japanese Word of the Day
返す
kae-SU • verb (godan, transitive) — 19th of Jun, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to return (something) to someone; to give back; to repay (a favor)
Examples
- 本を返す。
(I'll return the book.) - 借りたらすぐに返してください。
(If you borrow it, please return it right away.) - 彼に恩を返したい。
(I want to repay him for his kindness.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to 返す.
返す is the common transitive verb used when you give something back to its owner (use を). It applies to physical items, money, or abstract things like favors (恩を返す). The polite form is 返します; the intransitive counterpart is 返る (something returns). For formal contexts you might see 返却する.
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