What is the difference between "帰る" and "換える"?

"帰る" means "to return, to go home" (N5), whereas "換える" represents "to exchange, to replace (with something different), to convert" (N3).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "かえる (kaeru)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

かえる (kaeru)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

かえる (kaeru)

N3 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "かえる (kaeru)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

帰る (Level: N5): Translates to "to return, to go home" and is used when Intransitive verb. Used when returning to a place, especially home.
換える (Level: N3): Maps to "to exchange, to replace (with something different), to convert" and carries the nuance of Used when exchanging one item or type for another, or converting things like currency. Differs from 替える.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "帰る"

毎日、家に帰ります。

I go home every day.

Bilingual Context for "換える"

空港でドルを円に換える。

I exchange dollars for yen at the airport.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "毎日、家に帰ります。" (Meaning: "I go home every day.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "帰る" is used for "to return, to go home" in the context: "I go home every day.".