How to Say ‘To return to the original state’ in Japanese
元に戻す
moto ni modosu
[moh-toh nee moh-doh-soo]
💬 Usage Tip: [元] means “origin” or “original state,” and [戻す] means “to return something.” Together, [元に戻す] means “restore” or “put back as before.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrase is used in everyday life too, like putting furniture back or resetting a screen. It is not only spiritual language.
Phrase Breakdown
元
moto
[moh-toh]
origin; former state
A noun meaning the original condition, source, or previous state.
元の場所に置いてください。
Please put it back in its original place.
に
ni
[nee]
to; into
Particle marking the target, direction, or resulting state.
元に戻してください。
Please return it to its original state.
戻す
modosu
[moh-doh-soo]
to return; to restore
A verb meaning to put something back, return it, or restore it to a previous state.
本を棚に戻す。
Return the book to the shelf.
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