🏠 回家 vs 去家 – Why "Go Home" in Chinese Needs the Right Verb | Common Mistake Guide

❌ The Wrong Sentence

“我去家。”

(Wǒ qù jiā.)

You might think it means “I’m going home,” but in Chinese, it’s not just awkward — it’s incorrect.

✅ The Correct Sentence

✔️ “我回家。”

(Wǒ huí jiā.)

→ I’m going home.

In Chinese, when you return to your home (your own place), we don’t say “go home.” We say “return home” — 回家.

🔍 Why is "回" Better than "去" Here?

In Chinese:

• 回 (huí) doesn’t just mean “to return.” It also carries a strong emotional sense of coming back to where you belong, like returning to your own place or origin.

• 家 (jiā) means home — a place that represents identity and emotional roots.

So, “回家” is not just about location — it means:

➡️ I’m going back to where I belong.

Same idea with:

• 回国 (huí guó) — returning to your home country (not just going there)

👉 On the other hand, “去” (qù) just means “go” — it shows direction, but no sense of returning or belonging.

That’s why:

• ❌ 去家 (wrong — no emotional sense of return)

• ✅ 回家 (correct — expresses return to your own place)

📚 More Examples

1.

我下班后回家吃饭。

(Wǒ xiàbān hòu huí jiā chī fàn.)

➡️ I go home to eat after work.

2.

他明天回国。

(Tā míngtiān huí guó.)

➡️ He’s going back to his home country tomorrow.

3.

我想早点回家休息。

(Wǒ xiǎng zǎodiǎn huí jiā xiūxi)

➡️ I want to go home early and rest.

💡 Easy Tip to Remember

If the place you're going is your home or homeland, use “回” — not “去.”

Think:

🧭 回 = returning to where I belong

🚶‍♂️ 去 = just going somewhere

🎯 Interactive Practice

Which one is correct?

A. 他明天去家。

(Tā míngtiān qù jiā.)

➡️ ❌ He goes home tomorrow. (Incorrect)

B. 他明天回家。

(Tā míngtiān huí jiā.)

➡️ ✅ He goes home tomorrow. (Correct!)

🚀 Final Reminder

In Chinese, “家” and “国” are not just places — they represent identity and belonging. That’s why we use “回”, not “去.”

Next time, don’t say “去家” — say “回家” like a native! 🏠🇨🇳

📘 Want to avoid more Chinese mistakes? 

👉 Check out the full blog series: Oops! Chinese Mistakes.