立ち返る
たちかえる
verb-godan
to return (to a starting point, principle, or original state); to go back (to one's roots, the basics)
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 立ち返る | 立ち返らない |
| Present polite | 立ち返ります | 立ち返りません |
| Past | 立ち返った | 立ち返らなかった |
| Past polite | 立ち返りました | 立ち返りませんでした |
| て form | 立ち返って | 立ち返らなくて |
| ている present | 立ち返っている | 立ち返っていない |
| ている polite | 立ち返っています | 立ち返っていません |
| ている past | 立ち返っていた | 立ち返っていなかった |
| ている past polite | 立ち返っていました | 立ち返っていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 立ち返れば | 立ち返らなければ |
| Conditional たら | 立ち返ったら | 立ち返らなかったら |
| Volitional | 立ち返ろう | — |
| Volitional polite | 立ち返りましょう | — |
| Potential | 立ち返れる | 立ち返れない |
| Passive | 立ち返られる | 立ち返られない |
| Causative | 立ち返らせる | 立ち返らせない |
| Imperative | 立ち返れ | 立ち返るな |
1.
to return to (a starting point, original principle, basic stance, or earlier state)
To go back to a starting point — typically a fundamental principle, the original purpose of a project, the basics of a discipline, or an earlier mental or emotional state. 立ち返る is more abstract than plain 帰る ("to go home, to return") and almost always concerns ideas, intentions, attitudes, or methods rather than physical movement. The 立ち- prefix adds a sense of "making oneself return," giving the verb a deliberate, reflective tone.
原点に立ち返る。
To return to the starting point.
基本に立ち返って練習した。
I went back to basics and practiced.
議論が脱線したので、最初の問いに立ち返ろう。
The discussion has gone off track, so let's return to the original question.
困ったときには初心に立ち返って、なぜこの仕事を始めたのかを思い出すようにしている。
When I'm in trouble, I try to return to my original mindset and remember why I started this work.
立ち返る is an intransitive godan verb that conveys a deliberate return to a starting point, principle, or earlier state. It is most often used figuratively, with abstract destinations.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Intransitive. Takes に for the destination of the return: 原点に}{立ち返る ("to return {to} the starting point").
- There is no separate transitive counterpart in this sense; one can 立ち返らせる (causative) to make someone go back.
CONJUGATION:
- godan -る verb (NOT a -る ichidan verb)
- ます-form: 立ち返ります
- past: 立ち返った
- te-form: 立ち返って
- negative: 立ち返らない
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (に + 立ち返る):
- 原点に立ち返る: to return to the starting point / one's roots
- 基本に立ち返る: to go back to basics
- 初心に立ち返る: to return to one's original mindset / first intention (a common idiom)
- 現実に立ち返る: to come back to reality (after daydreaming or speculation)
- 問いに立ち返る: to return to the (original) question
- 議論の出発点に立ち返る: to go back to the starting point of the discussion
SIMILAR / RELATED TERMS:
- 帰る: to return, to go home — physical/literal return; 立ち返る is more abstract and reflective
- 戻る: to go back, to return — broader; can be physical or abstract, but lacks the deliberate "reset" nuance of 立ち返る
- 振り返る: to look back, to reflect — focuses on remembering or reviewing the past, not on returning to it
- 省みる: to reflect on oneself, to introspect — closely related in tone but emphasizes self-examination
USAGE NOTES:
- 立ち返る has a slightly literary, thoughtful flavor and shows up often in essays, business writing, and motivational contexts (初心に立ち返る is a near-cliché in self-help and management writing).
- For physical returning, prefer 戻る or 帰る. "I returned to my hometown" would be 故郷に帰った, not 立ち返った.