How to say "restore" in Japanese

• 返すかえすJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor 'restore' it means giving something back — returning a borrowed item or putting something back where it belongs. The nuance is handing over, not repairing or fixing.
  お金かねは明日あす返かえすよ。↗

  I'll give you back the money tomorrow.
• 引き戻すひきもどすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbIt suggests pulling or drawing something back: restoring a person or thing by bringing it back from wherever it went or was taken. Think 'bring back' rather than 'repair'.
  再ふたたび惨みじめな現実げんじつに引き戻ひきもどされました。↗

  It brought me down to earth.
• 直すなおすJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'restore' in the sense of repairing or mending something damaged, or correcting a mistake or bad habit. Choose it when restore means fix, not when it means give back.
  いまそれを直なおそうったって無駄むだだ。↗

  It's no use trying to fix it now.
• 戻すもどすJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe closest match for restoring something to a previous state: putting things back where they were, reconstituting food, or reconciling people. It also covers simply putting something back or giving it back.
  その本ほんを棚たなに戻もどしておきなさい。↗

  Put the book back on the shelf.
• 収めるおさめるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbA marginal match: its real business is putting something away in a place or keeping it there. It only touches 'restore' when that means putting something back in its place.
  書類しょるいは全部ぜんぶテープでくくられて金庫きんこにおさめられた。↗

  All the papers were taped up and kept in the safe.

Choose 「戻す」 to restore something to a previous state, 「直す」 to repair damage, 「返す」 to give something back, 「引き戻す」 to bring something back from elsewhere, and 「収める」 chiefly to put things away.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 返すかえすto return (something)
• 引き戻すひきもどすto bring back
• 直すなおすto repair
• 戻すもどすto put back
• 収めるおさめるto put (into)
• 取り戻すとりもどすto take back
• 復するふくするto return (to the original state)
• 元に戻すもとにもどすto go back to the start
• 復すふくすto return (to the original state)
• 立て直すたてなおすto restore (to former strength)
• レストア(system) restore
• 生かすいかすto restore (a deleted passage; in proofreading)