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To return to a previous location or state, often implying movement away and then back.
彼女は買い物から戻っていった。
She went back after shopping.
彼は怒って出て行ったが、すぐに戻ってきた。
He left in anger but came back soon after.
Emphasizes the act of returning after being away, often with a sense of purpose or destination.
Use 戻っていく when the speaker is not at the destination yet (e.g., 'He went back to the room' implies the speaker is elsewhere). Use 戻ってくる when the speaker is at or near the destination (e.g., 'He came back to the room' implies the speaker is in the room).
Japanese verbs often pair with 行く (iku) or 来る (kuru) to indicate direction relative to the speaker's position. 戻っていく implies movement away from the speaker's current location, while 戻ってくる implies movement toward the speaker's location.
Composed of 戻る (modoru, 'to return') and 行く (iku, 'to go'). The verb 戻る already implies movement toward a previous location, while adding 行く emphasizes the direction or continuation of the action.
This phrase is commonly used in everyday speech to describe someone leaving a place and then returning. It is more specific than just 戻る, which can imply simply returning without emphasizing the movement away first.