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

"帰る" means "to return, to go home" (N5), whereas "替える" represents "to exchange, to replace, to change (something for something else)" (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.
替える (Level: N3): Maps to "to exchange, to replace, to change (something for something else)" and carries the nuance of Emphasizes replacing one thing with another, often of the same kind.

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 "替える"

古い電池を新しいものに替える。

I will replace the old batteries with new ones.

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.".