归来 (guī lái) — to return, to come back (formal/literary)

Definition

归来 (guī lái) is a formal, literary verb meaning 'to return, come back' — it's used in writing, poetry, or solemn speech, not in everyday conversation. For daily spoken use, choose 回来 (huí lái, HSK2); 返回 (fǎn huí, HSK5) is neutral and can be used in both speech and writing. Unlike 归还 (guī huán, HSK6), which means to return an object, 归来 always refers to a person or animal coming back to a place.

verb

to returnto come back (formal/literary)

Examples

归来。
Tā guī lái hòu dì yī jiàn shì jiù shì gěi mǔqīn dǎ diànhuà.
The first thing he did after returning was call his mother.
，归来。
Chūntiān dào le, yànzi cóng nánfāng guī lái.
Spring has arrived; the swallows have returned from the south.
归来，。
Yóuzǐ guī lái, gùxiāng yǐ biàn le múyàng.
When the wanderer returned, his hometown had already changed.

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