return

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 戻 has 7 strokes, the on-reading れい, and the kun-readings もどる and もどす. 戻る (もどる) and 戻す (もどす) distinguish returning from putting something back.
• Basic usage: 戻る is intransitive, as when someone returns to a place or task; 戻す is transitive, describing restoring an object or state.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Returning and putting something back
  • 家へ戻る means to return home. すぐ仕事に戻ってください asks someone to return to work immediately after the break.
  • 本を元の棚に戻す means to put a book back on its original shelf. 時計の針を一時間前に戻した means moved the clock hands back one hour.