Meaning of 回顾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to look back
- to review
How to use 回顾
回顾 is a fairly formal verb used for looking back on past events, a period of time, or history, often in speeches, reports, and writing. It also works as a noun, as in a year-end review. Example: 回顾过去的一年，我们学到了很多。(Huígù guòqù de yì nián, wǒmen xuédào le hěn duō.) Looking back on the past year, we learned a lot.
回 (huí) means to turn back, and 顾 (gù) means to look, as in 照顾 (zhàogù), looking after someone. Put them together and you turn your head back to look at what has already happened.
Common mistake: Learners often use 回顾 for reviewing lessons before a test, but for studying material again Chinese usually says 复习 (fùxí). Also watch the tone on 顾: it is fourth tone gù, not third tone gǔ.
回顾 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
回 huí · to go back · 6 strokes
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顾 gù · to look after · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 回顾.
| 回来 | huílái | to return; to come back |
| 回家 | huí jiā | to return home |
| 回去 | huíqù | to return; to go back |
| 回到 | huídào | to return to |
| 回答 | huídá | to reply; to answer; reply; answer |
| 照顾 | zhàogù | to take care of; to show consideration |
| 顾客 | gùkè | customer; client |
| 回国 | huí guó | to return to one's home country |
| 收回 | shōuhuí | to regain; to retake |
| 回复 | huífù | to recover; to revert; to return to (good health, normal condition etc); variant of 回覆[hui |
| 回忆 | huíyì | to recall; memories |
| 回头 | huítóu | to turn round; to turn one's head; later; by and by |
Questions about 回顾
What does 回顾 mean?
回顾 (huígù) means "to look back; to review" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 回顾?
回顾 is made of 2 characters: 回 (6 strokes), 顾 (10 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 回顾 an HSK word?
Yes. 回顾 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 回顾 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 回顾 is written 回顧.
What is the difference between 回顾 and 回忆?
回忆 (huíyì) means to recall or remember, and it is often personal and emotional, like memories of childhood. 回顾 is more about deliberately reviewing or summing up past events, and it is common in formal or public contexts.
Can 回顾 be used literally to mean turning your head to look back?
It can, but this is rare and sounds literary in modern Chinese. In everyday speech, people say 回头看 (huítóu kàn) for physically looking behind them.