Meaning
回家 means 'to go home' or 'to return home.' It combines 回 (to return) and 家 (home) to express the action of returning to one's place of residence. This is one of the most fundamental phrases in daily Chinese conversation.
Usage
This is an extremely common expression used in everyday situations. Native speakers use it when leaving work, school, or any location to head back to their residence. It can be used as a simple statement of intent or as part of longer sentences describing plans or completed actions.
Examples
- 01我想回家了。.I want to go home now.
- 02你几点回家？?What time are you going home?
Characters
Common collocations
- 回家吃饭to go home to eat
- 回家过年to go home for the New Year
- 早点儿回家to go home early
- 想回家to want to go home
Antonyms
Origin
The combination is straightforward: 回 originally depicted turning around or returning, while 家 shows a pig under a roof, representing the ancient concept of home where livestock was kept. Together they create the natural meaning of 'returning to one's home.'