かえる (帰る・変える): One Sound, Several Kanji (with Examples)
One sound, several kanji
In Japanese, lots of words sound identical but are written with different kanji and mean different things — and かえる is a textbook case. Say kaeru out loud and you could mean "go home," "change something," "swap things out," or even "frog."
The kanji is what tells these apart in writing, and getting them straight early saves you a lot of confusion. Here's the short version before we dig in:
- 帰る — to return home / go back (intransitive, う-verb)
- 変える — to change / alter something (transitive, ru-verb)
- 換える・替える・代える — to exchange / replace / substitute (ru-verbs, mostly N3+)
- 返る — to be returned / come back (intransitive partner of 返す)
- 蛙 — a frog (a noun, not a verb at all!)
The two you must own at N5 are 帰る and 変える. The biggest single thing to remember is that they belong to different verb groups, so they conjugate differently. We'll hammer that home in the compare table.
The meanings, most common first
1. To return home / go back (帰る)
ヤッタンは六時に家に帰る。
ヤッタンは ろくじに いえに かえる。
Yattan goes home at six o'clock.
帰る is intransitive — you return, you don't return *something*. Note 家に帰る uses に for the destination.
2. To go back (to a place) / return (帰る)
モチは来月、国に帰ります。
モチは らいげつ、くにに かえります。
Mochi is returning to her home country next month.
帰る is an う-verb, so the polite form is 帰り-ます — not 帰え-ます.
3. To change / alter something (変える)
先生は授業の予定を変えた。
せんせいは じゅぎょうの よていを かえた。
Sensei changed the class schedule.
変える is transitive — you change *something* (〜を変える). It's a true ru-verb: 変え-た.
4. To change one's mind / a plan (変える)
ヤッタンの弟は急に考えを変えた。
ヤッタンの おとうとは きゅうに かんがえを かえた。
Yattan's little brother suddenly changed his mind.
5. To exchange / convert (換える) — N3
ヤッタンは空港で円をドルに換えた。
ヤッタンは くうこうで えんを ドルに かえた。
Yattan exchanged yen for dollars at the airport.
換える is for swapping one thing for another of the same kind — money, seats, air. Above N5, but handy to recognize.
6. To replace / reschedule (替える) — N3
モチは旅行の日にちを替えた。
モチは りょこうの ひにちを かえた。
Mochi rescheduled the trip to a different date.
替える = swap one for another in a series (dates, batteries, shifts).
7. To substitute / stand in (代える) — N3
先生はこの仕事を弟に代えることはできないと言った。
せんせいは この しごとを おとうとに かえる ことは できないと いった。
Sensei said this job cannot be handed off to (substituted with) the younger brother.
代える = substitute one person/thing in another's role.
Two more かえる to simply recognize: 返る (かえる) means "to be returned / come back" — the intransitive partner of 返す (to give back), as in 鍵が返る (the key comes back). And 蛙 (かえる) is just the noun frog — no conjugation, no relation to the verbs at all. Context and kanji keep them apart.
Common collocations worth memorizing
Learn these as fixed chunks and the right kanji will come automatically:
| Collocation | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 家に帰る | いえにかえる | to go home |
| 国に帰る | くににかえる | to return to one's country |
| 予定を変える | よていをかえる | to change a plan |
| 考えを変える | かんがえをかえる | to change one's mind |
| 色を変える | いろをかえる | to change the color |
| お金を換える | おかねをかえる | to exchange money |
| 日にちを替える | ひにちをかえる | to change the date |
Kanji & related verbs
Each meaning has its own kanji, and the kanji is your main clue in writing:
- 帰 writes "go home / return" — 帰る (う-verb, intransitive). This is the high-frequency N5 verb.
- 変 writes "change / alter" — 変える (ru-verb, transitive). Its intransitive partner is 変わる (かわる, う-verb): 予定が変わる = "the plan changes (on its own)."
- 換 / 替 / 代 all write "exchange / replace / substitute" — 換える・替える・代える (ru-verbs, N3+). Don't sweat which is which at N5; just know they mean "swap."
- 返 writes "be returned" — 返る (intransitive partner of 返す, かえす).
- 蛙 is the noun frog — not a verb.
The paired verbs worth flagging now: 変える (transitive) ↔ 変わる (intransitive) — you change something vs. something changes. That pairing shows up all over the JLPT.
帰る vs 変える vs 換える
This is the heart of the whole guide. Same sound, three different kanji — and crucially, 帰る is the famous "looks like a ru-verb but is an う-verb" trap. Anything ending in -える usually signals a Group 2 (ru-)verb, but 帰る is an exception: it's Group 1.
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 帰る (う-verb, intransitive) | Return home / go back — Group 1 despite the -える ending | 家に帰る → 帰ります / 帰って / 帰らない |
| 変える (ru-verb, transitive) | Change or alter something — true Group 2 | 予定を変える → 変えます / 変えて / 変えない |
| 換える (ru-verb, transitive, N3) | Exchange / swap one thing for another | 円をドルに換える → 換えます / 換えて / 換えない |
Look hard at the conjugations. 帰る drops to its stem the う-verb way: 帰ります, 帰って, 帰らない. If you (very naturally) treat it as a ru-verb, you'd get the wrong forms 帰え-ます / 帰え-て — a classic beginner slip. Meanwhile 変える behaves exactly as its -える ending suggests: 変え-ます, 変え-て, 変え-ない.
A quick memory hook: 帰る is the only common -える verb that "goes home" to Group 1. Drill 帰ります / 帰って / 帰らない until they feel automatic, and you've cleared the main hurdle.
Quick recap
- かえる is several verbs sharing one sound — the kanji tells them apart.
- 帰る = go home, intransitive, and a Group 1 (う-)verb despite ending in -える: 帰ります / 帰って / 帰らない.
- 変える = change something, transitive, true Group 2 (ru-)verb; partner 変わる (intransitive).
- 換える・替える・代える (N3+) = exchange / replace / substitute.
- 返る = be returned; 蛙 = frog (a noun).
Your turn
Can you pick the right かえる kanji and conjugation in context?
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
Is 帰る a ru-verb or an u-verb?
帰る is a Group 1 (う-verb / godan) verb, even though it ends in -える and looks like a ru-verb. Its forms are 帰ります, 帰って, and 帰らない — not 帰えます. It's one of the most common exceptions to the '-える means ru-verb' rule.
What is the difference between 帰る and 変える?
They only sound the same. 帰る (う-verb) means to return home and is intransitive (家に帰る). 変える (ru-verb) means to change something and is transitive (予定を変える). Different kanji, different verb groups, different meanings.
What is the difference between 変える and 変わる?
They are a transitive/intransitive pair. 変える is transitive — you change something (色を変える = I change the color). 変わる is intransitive — something changes on its own (色が変わる = the color changes).
Which かえる kanji do I use for exchanging money?
Use 換える (お金を換える / 円をドルに換える) for exchanging or converting. It's an N3-level kanji, so at N5 just recognize it; 帰る and 変える are the priority.