归程 (guī chéng) — return journey

Definition

归程 (guīchéng) is the journey back to where one started — literary or written register, more elegant than the everyday 回家 (hújiā). Use it for the trip itself, not the destination.

noun
return journey
Measure word · 段
Easily confused

Examples

  • 归程。
    Tā tà shàng le huí jiā de guī chéng.
    He set off on his return journey home.
  • 归程。
    Màn cháng de guī chéng zhōng yú jié shù le.
    The long return journey finally ended.
  • 归程。
    Lǚ kè men dōu zài qī pàn zhe tí qián kāi shǐ guī chéng.
    All the passengers are looking forward to starting the return journey early.

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.

归guīreturn
程chéngjourney

归程: 归 (return) and 程 (journey) form the homeward journey.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 歸; 归 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤ancient form of {{zh-l|*師|troops}}
  • 帚帚zhǒubroom; sweep

The traditional form 歸 combines 𠂤 (troops) and 帚 (broom; sweep) to show sweeping away an enemy and returning; the simplified 归 is a later abbreviation.

Open 归 →

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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