見返す|みかえすmikaesu[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto look (stare) back at (someone)
- godan verb, transitive verbto look at again; to re-examine
- godan verb, transitive verbto prove oneself superior (to someone who had previously been condescending); to put a person to shame; to get one's own back
- godan verb, intransitive verbto look back (behind oneself)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 見返す（みかえす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 見返します（みかえします） |
| Negative (nai) | 見返さない（みかえさない） |
| polite (masen) | 見返しません（みかえしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 見返さず・見返さぬ（みかえさず・みかえさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 見返した（みかえした） |
| polite (mashita) | 見返しました（みかえしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 見返さなかった（みかえさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 見返しませんでした（みかえしませんでした） |
| Te form | 見返して（みかえして） |
| Potential | 見返せる（みかえせる） |
| Passive | 見返される（みかえされる） |
| Causative | 見返させる（みかえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 見返させられる（みかえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 見返せば（みかえせば） |
| tara | 見返したら（みかえしたら） |
| Volitional | 見返そう（みかえそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 見返しましょう（みかえしましょう） |
| Imperative | 見返せ（みかえせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym見返るみかえるWrittenA written-style verb meaning simply to look back; rare even in writing today, with modern usage preferring 「振り返る」.
- Related振り返るふりかえるNeutralNeutral: turn your head or body to look back, or look back on the past. Unlike 「見返す」, it never carries the sense of proving yourself superior.
- Related振り向くふりむくCasualColloquial: turn your head or upper body to look behind or to the side. Common in speech; it has neither the re-checking nor the payback sense of 「見返す」.
- Related顧みるかえりみるWrittenWritten word for looking back in reflection or giving thought to something; stresses introspection or consideration.
Use 「見返す」 to stare back at someone, get your own back on a person who looked down on you (「いつか見返してやる」), or re-check (「答案を見返す」). To turn and look back say 「振り返る」 or colloquial 「振り向く」; for reflection, 「顧みる」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
