1.
round trip, going and returning
A journey to a destination and back; travel in both directions.
往復切符を買った方が安い。
It's cheaper to buy a round-trip ticket.
東京から大阪まで往復で三時間かかる。
It takes three hours round trip from Tokyo to Osaka.
往復で二時間かかる。
It takes two hours round trip.
飛行機の往復運賃はいくらですか。
How much is the round-trip airfare?
毎日会社と家を往復している。
I commute back and forth between home and the office every day.
2.
back and forth, exchange
Movement or communication going back and forth repeatedly.
メールの往復で話がまとまった。
We reached an agreement through an exchange of emails.
手紙の往復が続いた。
The exchange of letters continued.
二人の間で意見の往復があった。
There was a back-and-forth exchange of opinions between the two.
ボールを往復させて練習する。
Practice by hitting the ball back and forth.
何度も往復して荷物を全部運んだ。
I went back and forth many times to carry all the luggage.
USAGE: 往復 is commonly used for transportation and travel.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 往復切符 (round-trip ticket)
- 往復運賃 (round-trip fare)
- 往復はがき (return postcard - has reply section attached)
- 往復書簡 (correspondence, exchange of letters)
PATTERNS:
- 往復で〜 (round trip, takes ~)
- 往復する (to make a round trip)
CONTRAST:
- 片道 - one way (opposite)