里帰り

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 里帰り is read as さとがえり and means returning to or visiting one's family or parents' home.
• Basic usage: It covers an ordinary family visit during a vacation as well as returning to the parents' home before childbirth.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Ordinary return home
  • A vacation 里帰り can describe visiting one's parents with family, without any childbirth context. Example: 休暇を利用して家族で里帰りした。
• Before childbirth
  • In a childbirth context, it describes going to stay at the parents' home before giving birth. Example: 姉は出産を前に里帰りすることにした。