返 means “return, give back”

かえす · kaesu

Also: answer, fade, repay

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

かえす, かえる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヘン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 7 strokes

The story

Movement (辶) plus turning back (反): going back the way you came. 返す is to give back, 返事 is a reply sent back, and 返金 is the refund that sends your money home again.

Used in 返す (kaesu, to give back), 返事 (henji, reply), and 返金 (henkin, refund)

More from Money Matters

• 貧 poor
• 経 pass through
• 受 receive
• 支 support
• 済 finish
• 得 gain
• 資 resources
• 与 give
• 費 expense
• 財 wealth
• 易 easy
• 給 supply

Learn 返 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.