帰 — how to write the kanji for “homecoming”

帰 means “homecoming”, “arrive at” and “lead to”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in second grade in Japan. KANJIDIC2 gives it 1 on reading and 4 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Its parts sit side by side: 刂 (“knife”), strokes 1–2; 帚 (“broom”), strokes 3–10, each finished before the next. Read ki, it forms 帰国 (“return to one's country”), 復帰 (“return”) and 帰還 (“return (home)”); the native reading kae-ru gives 帰り (“return”) and 里帰り (“returning home to one's parents”).

Strokes: 10
JLPT: N4
Radical: 巾 (“towel”)
On: キ
Kun: かえ·す, かえ·る, おく·る

Stroke by stroke

Vertical ㇑top leftdownwards
Left-falling stroke ㇒top leftdownwards
Horizontal-turn ㇕toprightwards → downwards
Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
Dot ㇔centerdownwards
Horizontal hook ㇖centerrightwards
Vertical ㇑centerdownwards
Horizontal-turn-hook ㇆centerrightwards → downwards
Vertical ㇑centerdownwards

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Readings

On (Chinese-derived): キ ki
Kun (native): かえ·す kae-su, かえ·る kae-ru (rare), おく·る oku-ru (rare), とつ·ぐ totsu-gu (rare)
Meanings: homecoming; arrive at; lead to; result in
Read ki: 帰国復帰帰還帰宅帰属回帰
Read kae-ru: 帰り里帰り
School year: second grade
Newspaper rank: 504th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
Korean hanja: 귀 gwi
Common words: 24 in JMdict

On and kun, explained

Words with 帰

Word	Reading	Meaning
帰国	きこく kikoku	return to one's country; return to one's hometown
復帰	ふっき fukki	return; reversion
帰り	かえり kaeri	return; coming back
帰還	きかん kikan	return (home); repatriation
帰宅	きたく kitaku	returning home; going home
帰属	きぞく kizoku	belonging; ascription
回帰	かいき kaiki	return (to); revolution
里帰り	さとがえり satogaeri	returning home to one's parents; visiting one's parents…
帰省	きせい kisei	homecoming; returning home
帰途	きと kito	(the) way home; return trip

Most common first (JMdict).

Practice sheet

Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.

Keep going

Same parts:

JLPT N4, in list order: