返(かえ)し

かえし
noun
a comeback; retort; response (especially a witty or quick reply)
communicationfood
1. a comeback; retort; response (especially a witty or quick reply)
Something said or done in reply, especially a quick or clever answer to a remark or joke.
返(かえ)しがうまい。
Good at comebacks.
あの芸人(げいにん)は返(かえ)しが早(はや)い。
That comedian is quick with comebacks.
何(なに)を言(い)われても気(き)の利(き)いた返(かえ)しができる人(ひと)は尊敬(そんけい)する。
I respect people who can come up with a clever response no matter what is said to them.
2. returning something; giving back; repayment
Giving back what one has received or borrowed, or returning a favor or gift; often in compounds such as お返(かえ)し.
お返(かえ)しをする。
Give something in return.
バレンタインのお返(かえ)しを買(か)う。
Buy a return gift for Valentine's Day.
旅行(りょこう)のお土産(みやげ)のお返(かえ)しに、手作(てづく)りのケーキを渡(わた)した。
In return for the souvenir from their trip, I gave them a homemade cake.
3. a base sauce made by combining soy sauce, mirin, and sugar (used in soba, ramen, etc.)
In Japanese cooking, a seasoning base of soy sauce, mirin and sugar heated together and left to mature, then mixed with stock to make noodle sauce.
返(かえ)しは醤油(しょうゆ)とみりんで作(つく)る。
The base sauce is made with soy sauce and mirin.
この蕎麦屋(そばや)は返(かえ)しを一週間(いっしゅうかん)寝(ね)かせている。
This soba shop ages its base sauce for a week.
だし汁(じる)に返(かえ)しを合(あ)わせて蕎麦(そば)つゆを作(つく)る。
Combine the dashi stock with the base sauce to make soba dipping broth.

A versatile noun derived from the verb 返(かえ)す (to return). Each sense has distinct usage patterns.

SENSE 1 — COMEBACK:
Very common in conversation about comedy (漫才(まんざい), variety shows) and everyday banter. A key skill in Japanese comedy is the 返(かえ)し — the ability to respond to a setup (ボケ) with a sharp retort (ツッコミ).

SENSE 2 — RETURNING:
Often used with the honorific お as お返(かえ)し, especially for return gifts. ホワイトデー (White Day, March 14) is built around the concept of お返(かえ)し — returning Valentine's chocolates.

SENSE 3 — COOKING:
A foundational element of Japanese noodle cuisine. 返(かえ)し is aged for days to mellow the flavors before being combined with dashi.

Common collocations

  • 返(かえ)しがうまい — good at retorts
  • お返(かえ)しに — in return
  • 本(ほん)返(かえ)し — fully heated base sauce (cooking)
  • 生(なま)返(かえ)し — unheated base sauce (cooking)
general
Added 2026.4.21 1:22 · Revised 2026.10.9 22:59
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