---
title: "Guilai Meaning: 归来 (guīlái) Means “to return”"
description: "归来 (traditional 歸來, guīlái) means “to return; to come back”. Hear its tones, see what 归 and 来 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/guilai"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 归来 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

归来 guīlái

## to return; to come back

## Its characters

1. 归 guī to return
2. 来 lái to come

## In a sentence

我们等着你平安归来。 We're waiting for you to come back safely.

杨利伟**归来**后的第二年，有报纸报道：教育部已经通知出版社，小学六年级语文课本里的一篇课文不要

From [在太空能看见长城吗？ · Can you see the Great Wall of China from space?](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/can-you-see-the-great-wall-of-china-from-space#library-word-587-589)

[More about 归来](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BD%92%E6%9D%A5)

## More words with 归 or 来

- [本来 běnlái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/benlai)
- [长期以来 chángqī-yǐlái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/changqiyilai)
- [出来 chūlái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chulai)
- [从来 cónglái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/conglai)
- [到来 dàolái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/daolai)
- [归还 guīhuán](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/guihuan)
- [归纳 guīnà](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/guina)
- [归属 guīshǔ](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/guishu)
- [过来 guòlái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/guolai)
- [后来 hòulái](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/houlai)

## Keep 归来 for Review

A free account keeps it, and Review brings it back just before you’d forget it.

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