How to say "revival" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 復活ふっかつnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe revival or comeback of an old system, custom, fashion, or similar thing that had lapsed; it also covers restoration and return. Use this when something from the past is brought back to life in society or daily life.
- 復興ふっこうnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbRevival in the sense of reconstruction, restoration, and rebuilding, typically of a region, economy, or institution damaged or declined. This is the natural choice when 'revival' means rebuilding rather than a fashion or custom coming back.
- 蘇生そせいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbRevival in the literal sense of resuscitation — bringing someone or something back to life after apparent death. For medical or biological contexts of 'revival' this is the word; for fashions or institutions it is not.ＰＫされたの、蘇生しました。↗He was PK'ed, I resurrected him.
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA loanword covering 'revival' as such, often used for revivals of shows, performances, or movements under this borrowed form. A convenient option when the English-style term itself fits the context.
- 復古ふっこsuru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveRevival in the sense of restoration — a return to older ways, styles, or principles. It suits 'revival' only when the emphasis is on going back to something old; for general uses of 'revival' it is seldom the word you want.
Use 復活 for comebacks of old systems, customs or fashions; 復興 for reconstruction and rebuilding; 蘇生 for resuscitation of the seemingly dead; 「リバイバル」 for borrowed revival contexts; 復古 for restoration of older ways.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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