v.
to come back; to return
回来
to come back; to return
Directional verb meaning 'to come back' (回 return + 来 come toward speaker); indicates returning to the speaker's location.
Common Usage & Traps
- 从上海回来 — come back from Shanghai
- 回来吧 — come back (suggestion or request)
- 回来吃饭 — come back to eat
- 他回来了 — he is back
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回来家回家 / 回家来You do not attach 家 to 回来. Say 回家 for go home, or 回家来 when moving toward the speaker at home.
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回来上海回上海来 / 从上海回来A place cannot sit right after 回来. Put the place before 来, or use 从 + place + 回来 for origin.
Why is it 从上海回来 instead of just 从上海来?
来 means come; 回来 means come back to where the speaker is.
Use 来 when someone is simply coming toward you for the first time. Use 回来 when they had gone away and are now returning to the same place. If a coworker normally works in Beijing and went to Shanghai, his boss asks 他什么时候回来. A Shanghai client visiting Beijing gets 他什么时候来.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First-time visit from Shanghai | 他从上海来 | 他从上海回来 |
| Returning to his base | 他从上海回来 | 他从上海来 |
| Asking about a returning person | 他什么时候回来？ | 他什么时候来？ |
What's the difference between 回来 and 回去?
回来 moves toward the speaker; 回去 moves away from the speaker.
回来 means coming back toward the person speaking or the current home base. 回去 means going back away from the person speaking or the current spot. If you are at home and your roommate is out, ask 你什么时候回来. If you are at a party and want to leave for home, say 我要回去了.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Coming back to where I am | 你什么时候回来？ | 你什么时候回去？ |
| Leaving here to go back | 我要回去了。 | 我要回来了。 |
| A friend left my place | 他回去了。 | 他回来了。 |
Can you say 回来家 or 回来上海 for come back home or come back to Shanghai?
No. You cannot put 家 or a city right after 回来.
回来 is a fixed pair: 回 plus 来. You cannot glue 家 or 上海 to the end of it. For home, say 回家 or 回家来. For Shanghai, say 回上海来 if coming here, or 从上海回来 if coming from there. The place sits before 来, not after 回来.
“他今天从上海回来，晚上就和我去了一个饭馆儿吃北京菜。” (He came back from Shanghai today, and in the evening he and I went to a restaurant to eat Beijing cuisine.)
“他今天从上海回来，晚上就和我去了一个饭馆儿吃北京菜。” (He came back from Shanghai today, and in the evening he and I went to a restaurant to eat Beijing cuisine.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Come back home | 回家 / 回家来 | 回来家 |
| Come back to Shanghai | 回上海来 | 回来上海 |
| Come back from Shanghai | 从上海回来 | 回来上海 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
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他今天从上海 回来 ，晚上就和我去了一个饭馆儿吃北京菜。
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
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我天天坐在这儿看外边，觉得我儿子还会 回来 。”
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