返信（へんしん、henshiん）
- reply

The Japanese word 返信 (へんしん, *henshin*) means "reply," "response," or "to reply." It's used when you are answering someone, whether it's to an email, a letter, a text message, or even a verbal question. The core idea is that you are sending a message back in response to an original message or inquiry. 返信 can refer to the act of replying or the reply itself.

⚫︎ メールに返信する。 Translation: To reply to an email. ⚫︎ 彼女からの手紙に返信した。 Translation: I replied to the letter from her. ⚫︎ このメッセージに返信をお願いします。 Translation: Please reply to this message.

⚫︎ 返信 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. ⚫︎ When you want to tell someone you are going to reply, you can say 返信します (*henshin shimasu*) which means "I will reply." ⚫︎ To ask someone to reply, you can use 返信してください (*henshin shite kudasai*) meaning "Please reply." or返信をお待ちしております (*henshin o machi shite orimasu*) which is a more polite way of saying "I look forward to your reply." ⚫︎ In casual conversations, you can also use shorter expressions like 返信ありがとう (*henshin arigato*) meaning "Thanks for the reply" or 返信したよ (*henshin shita yo*) meaning "I replied."

⚫︎ The word 返信 is primarily written using the kanji 返 (meaning "return" or "reply") and 信 (meaning "trust" or "message"). ⚫︎ The reading is へんしん in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no other common ways to write this word. ⚫︎ The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard, and does not vary. ⚫︎ 返信 is a noun, but it can also function as a verb when combined with the verb する (*suru*, to do) to create 返信する (*henshin suru*, to reply).

⚫︎ 返事 (*henji*) - This is a more general term for "answer" or "reply," and can be used in a wider variety of situations than 返信. ⚫︎ 回答 (*kaitou*) - This means "answer" or "response," often used in more formal settings, such as questionnaires or official documents. ⚫︎ 答える (*kotaeru*) - This is the verb "to answer" or "to reply."

⚫︎ Although there isn't a direct antonym for 返信, you could consider the act of *not* replying or ignoring the message to be the opposite. There isn't a single word to express this. However you could say that you are 返信しない (*henshin shinai*), which means "I will not reply" or "I am not replying."

田中さんからのメールに返信しました。 ・Translation: I replied to the email from Mr. Tanaka. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates the basic usage of 返信 in a sentence. It indicates that the speaker has sent a reply.

すみません、今すぐ返信できません。 ・Translation: I'm sorry, I can't reply right now. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 返信 to indicate the inability to reply immediately, highlighting its flexibility in different contexts.

⚫︎ The kanji 返 (*hen*) means "return" or "reply," and the kanji 信 (*shin*) means "trust" or, in this context, "message." ⚫︎ The combination suggests the idea of "returning a message" or "replying with a message."