歸 meaning and stroke order
To return, to go back; to return to, to revert
How to write 歸, stroke by stroke
18 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 歸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to return
- to go back to
- to give back to
- (of a responsibility) to be taken care of by
- to belong to
- to gather together
How 歸 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
止 gives the meaning and 㠯 hints at the sound.
Radical: 止 (to stop), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 歸
On the left, 止 (zhǐ) is a foot, the meaning part, and 㠯 above it gives the sound. On the right is 帚 (zhǒu), a broom, so picture someone walking home on foot and picking up the broom to sweep their own house.
歸 is the traditional form of 归 and appears in words like 歸來 (guīlái, to come back) and 歸還 (guīhuán, to give back). It can also mean that something belongs to or is handled by someone: 這件事歸我管。(Zhè jiàn shì guī wǒ guǎn.) This matter is my responsibility.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 歸還 (guīhuán, to return an object) with 回來 (huílái, to come back as a person). You 歸還 a book to the library, but you 回來 home. In writing, do not drop the small 丿 stroke at the top left, and the right side is 帚, not 雪 or 掃.
Common words with 歸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 回歸 | huíguī | to return to; to retreat | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸來 | guīlái | to return; to come back | HSK 7-9 |
| 無家可歸 | wújiā-kěguī | (idiom) homeless | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸還 | guīhuán | to return sth; to revert | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸宿 | guīsù | place to return to; home | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸屬 | guīshǔ | to belong to; to be affiliated to | HSK 7-9 |
| 改邪歸正 | gǎixié-guīzhèng | to mend one's ways (idiom); to turn over a new leaf | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸結 | guījié | to sum up; to conclude; to put in a nutshell; conclusion; end (of a story etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸納 | guīnà | to sum up; to summarize | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸根到底 | guīgēn-dàodǐ | after all; in the final analysis | HSK 7-9 |
| 歸隊 | guīduì | to return to one's unit; to go back to one's station in life | |
| 歸於 | guīyú | to belong to; affiliated to | |
| 言歸正傳 | yánguīzhèngzhuàn | to return to the topic (idiom); to get back to the main point | |
| 同歸於盡 | tóngguīyújìn | to die in such a way that sb (or sth) else also perishes; to take sb down with oneself |
Questions about 歸
How many strokes are in 歸?
歸 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 歸 mean?
歸 (guī) means to return, to go back; to return to, to revert. A common word with it is 回归 (huíguī), meaning "to return to; to retreat".
How do you pronounce 歸?
歸 is pronounced guī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 歸?
The radical of 歸 is 止, which carries the idea of "to stop". Dictionaries list 歸 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 歸?
歸 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 归, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 歸 and 回?
回 (huí) is the everyday word for going or coming back. 歸 is more formal or literary and often adds a sense of returning to where one belongs, as in 回歸 (huíguī) or 歸宿 (guīsù).
What does 無家可歸 mean and how is it used?
無家可歸 (wújiā-kěguī) literally means having no home to return to, so it describes being homeless. It can be used for people or animals, as in 無家可歸的人 (wújiā-kěguī de rén), homeless people.