振り返る: turning around and reflecting on the day
Distinguish turning around when one's name is called from making time to reflect on the day's events. Read the direction or object without adding backward travel, regret, or perfect recall.
Turning around when a name is called
振り返る (ふりかえる) includes looking back and reflecting. 「名前を呼ばれた彼は驚いて振り返った。」 means “When his name was called, he turned around in surprise.” Read the calling of his name, his surprise, and the action of turning together.
The focus here is a change of direction to look behind. Turning around does not establish that he walked backward or returned to an earlier location. The action after hearing his name is not stated as reflection on past events or recollection of a memory.
Making time to reflect before bed
「一日の出来事を振り返る時間を寝る前に作る。」 means “Before bed, I make time to reflect on the day.” The object is the day's events. This is reflection on things that happened, rather than a physical direction behind the person.
Making time for reflection does not guarantee accurate recall of every event. The sentence also does not specify wrongdoing that would justify adding regret or self-blame. Retain the time before bed and the day's events as the object.
Find the direction or the object of reflection
In the name-calling example, look at the physical direction; in the daily reflection example, look at the events being considered. The verb occurs in both scenes, but what is being looked back at differs. The gloss “look back” does not make every use a physical action.
Having a past experience or evaluating one's feelings about it is different from the act of reflecting itself. Do not add reflection to the physical turn or movement to the reflection scene. The stated trigger, object, and timing make the two meanings clear.
Does the reflection before bed in the 振り返る example describe moving one's body backward?
Show the answer and why
No. The object is the day's events, so it describes making time for reflection. Turning in surprise when a name is called is the physical-direction example. The reflection sentence does not establish backward movement or regret.