kitaku

Kitaku is a Japanese term that denotes the act of returning home, especially after leaving work or school. It is composed of the kanji 帰, meaning to return, and 宅, meaning home, and it can function as a noun or take the verb form 帰宅する (kitaku suru), meaning “to go home” or “to return home.”

In everyday use, speakers talk about 帰宅時間 (kitaku jikan, time to return home) or 帰宅途中 (kitaku tochū, on the way home). The term is neutral and descriptive, simply describing the action of going home. In discussions of work-life balance, 帰宅 can be contrasted with long overtime; the term 帰宅難民 (kitaku nanmin) describes people who are unable to reach home due to disruptions or delays in transportation. The concept reflects ordinary routines rather than a specific political stance.

Notes and related terms: While Kitaku mostly refers to the act of returning home, the romaji Kitaku can appear in other contexts. For example, Kita-ku (北区) is a common ward name in several Japanese cities, meaning “North Ward.” This is written with different kanji and is not etymologically related to 帰宅, despite sharing the same romanization in English.