重返 (chóng fǎn) — to return to (a place, position, or state) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

重返 emphasizes a deliberate return to a former place, role, or state — stronger and more intentional than the plain 返回. Pairs naturally with abstract or meaningful destinations like 故乡 or 工作岗位.

verb

to return to (a place, position, or state)

Examples

重返。
Tā jué dìng míng nián chóng fǎn gù xiāng.
He decided to return to his hometown next year.
重返？
Nǐ shén me shí hou chóng fǎn gōng zuò gǎng wèi?
When will you return to your work post?
重返，。
chóng fǎn Xiào yuán, yí qiè rú jiù.
Returning to campus, everything is as before.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

“重” (again) and “返” (return) combine to mean return to a place.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

東

東dōng重zhòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

辶反返

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

反fǎn返fǎn

Same sound today

返 pairs 辶 (movement) with 反 (sound, with the sense of returning); the whole character originally meant coming back along the path one came from.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Change & Process

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