帰宅

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 帰宅, read きたく, and it combines 帰, meaning return, with 宅, meaning home.
• Basic usage: 帰宅 is returning to one's own home after work, school, an outing, or another activity away from it.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Returning home and the completed arrival
  • Both examples use the form 帰宅. It can describe the journey home after work or emphasize that a child has arrived home safely.
• A nine o'clock return and notifying a school of safe arrival
  • 仕事が終わって九時ごろ帰宅した。 — I returned home around nine after work.
  • 子どもが無事に帰宅したと学校へ連絡した。 — I notified the school that the child had arrived home safely.