回 (huí) is a Chinese character meaning “to return”. It is written from 囗 (enclosure, surrounding frame) and 口 (mouth), one enclosing the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to return; to go back”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
囗 + 口
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分 IDS ⿴囗口（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：囗 3 画 + 口 3 画 = 6 画）
Memory aid
A small mouth (口) sitting inside a big enclosure (囗). Both parts are really in this character. You walk the wall all the way around and end up back at the same little mouth — you have returned.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 回家huí jiāto go home; to return home回 = huíHSK 1
- 回忆huí yìto recall; to look back on回 = huíHSK 4
- 回归huí guīto return; to go back回 = huí
- 迂回yū huícircuitous; roundabout; to outflank回 = huí
- 返回fǎn huíto return; to go back回 = huíHSK 5
- 驳回bó huíto reject; to overrule (a request or an appeal)回 = huí
- 挽回wǎn huíto retrieve; to redeem (a situation)回 = huí
Go deeper
All readings
to return
to return; to go back; to turn around; also a measure word for times or occurrences
从别处返回原来的地方；掉转、环绕。也用作量词，表示次数。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 回家huí jiāto go home; to return home回 = huíHSK 1
- 回忆huí yìto recall; to look back on回 = huíHSK 4
- 回归huí guīto return; to go back回 = huí
- 迂回yū huícircuitous; roundabout; to outflank回 = huí
- 返回fǎn huíto return; to go back回 = huíHSK 5
- 驳回bó huíto reject; to overrule (a request or an appeal)回 = huí
- 挽回wǎn huíto retrieve; to redeem (a situation)回 = huí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 回 mean?
回 (huí) means to return; to go back; to turn around; also a measure word for times or occurrences.
How do you pronounce 回?
It is pronounced huí.
What parts is 回 made of?
囗 (enclosure, surrounding frame) and 口 (mouth), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分 IDS ⿴囗口（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：囗 3 画 + 口 3 画 = 6 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 回 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 回?
囗. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 回?
Common ones are 回家 and 回忆. The reading of 回 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.