報いる・酬いる|むくいるmukuiru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto reward; to recompense; to repayusu. in the passive
   結局けっきょくは誠実せいじつさは報むくいられる。↗

   Honesty will pay in the long run.
2. ichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto retaliate; to get revenge

• Synonym返礼へんれいWrittenWritten word for a return gift or courtesy, as in 「返礼の品」; the stress is on reciprocating in kind, whereas 「報いる」 stresses repaying kindness or effort.
• Synonymお返しおかえしNeutralA return gift, but also revenge or change from a cash transaction; very common in everyday speech.
• Synonym報うむくうNeutralSame meaning as the headword; a godan verb still in use today, often seen in the passive 「報われる」, as in 「努力が報われる」.
• Synonym返報へんぽうWrittenWritten and not often used; covers both repaying a favour and retaliating, so it can be positive or negative.
• Synonym報奨ほうしょうWrittenFormal word for rewarding an action with money or other benefits, as in 「報奨金」; typically a material reward.
• Related応えるこたえるNeutralMeets expectations or demands, as in 「期待に応える」; close to the headword in feel, but about responding rather than repaying.
• Related褒賞ほうしょうWrittenFormal word for a prize or award, as in 「褒賞を与える」; money or goods given as a mark of recognition.
• Related補償ほしょうNeutralCompensates for a loss or expense, as in 「損害補償」; the emphasis is on making up for damage.
• Related表彰ひょうしょうNeutralPublicly honours good deeds or achievements, as in 「表彰状」; the emphasis is on open, official praise.
• Related代償だいしょうWrittenWritten word for a price paid or compensation, as in 「大きな代償を払う」; what is sacrificed for a goal, not a reward.
• Related償うつぐなうNeutralMakes up for a loss or wrongdoing, as in 「罪を償う」; the emphasis is on atoning for a fault.
• Related弁償べんしょうNeutralPaying for goods you damaged, as in 「弁償する」; the emphasis is on making up the loss with money.
• Related埋め合わせうめあわせNeutralColloquial word for making up for something, as in 「この埋め合わせは必ず」; compensation rather than reward.
• Related報復ほうふくNeutralRetaliation and nothing else, as in 「報復措置」; unlike the headword it has no positive sense of repaying kindness.
• Related返すかえすNeutralThe most versatile of the group: return a thing, pay money back, or strike back; an everyday word that is not limited to gratitude.
• Related仕返ししかえしNeutralColloquial word for getting back at someone, as in 「仕返しをする」; it can also mean redoing a task, which has nothing to do with repaying.
• Related謝礼しゃれいNeutralWritten word for a fee or gift given in thanks, as in 「謝礼を払う」; the focus is on paying someone for help or services.
• Related謝するしゃするWrittenWritten word for expressing thanks or an apology, as in 「厚意を謝する」; words of gratitude, not something given back.
• RelatedねぎらうNeutralAcknowledges someone's hard work and comforts them for it, as in 「労をねぎらう」; mostly said to equals or juniors.
• Related賞するしょうするWrittenWritten word for praising or admiring something, as in 「月を賞する」; appreciation rather than repayment.
• Related贖うあがなうWrittenWritten word for atoning for a wrong; carries religious and literary overtones.

To repay kindness or effort, use 「報いる」, as in 「恩に報いる」 and 「労に報いる」. For meeting expectations choose 「応える」, for a return gift 「お返し」, and for getting back at someone 「仕返し」. Material rewards take 「報奨」, thank-you fees 「謝礼」, official praise 「表彰」, and making up for loss or wrongdoing 「償う」 or 「贖う」. 「返す」 is the broadest everyday verb; most of the rest are narrower.

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

1. 他人たにんからされたことに対たいして、それに見合みあうだけのことをして返かえす。
2. 少すこしであっても反撃はんげきをする。返報へんぽうする。