(こうぼう)

こうぼう
noun
rise and fall; prosperity and decline
1. rise and fall; prosperity and decline
The cycle of flourishing and declining, especially of nations, dynasties, or civilizations.
帝国(ていこく)興亡(こうぼう)(まな)ぶ。
To study the rise and fall of empires.
歴史(れきし)(くに)興亡(こうぼう)()(かえ)しだ。
History is a repetition of the rise and fall of nations.
興亡(こうぼう)歴史(れきし)()(かえ)る。
To look back on the history of rise and fall.

興亡(こうぼう) describes the cycle of rising to power and falling into decline, typically used for nations, empires, or civilizations.

WORD FORMATION:
(こう) (rise/prosper) + (ぼう) (perish/decline) = rise and fall

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • (くに)興亡(こうぼう): the rise and fall of a nation
  • 帝国(ていこく)興亡(こうぼう): the rise and fall of an empire
  • 興亡(こうぼう)歴史(れきし): history of rise and decline
  • 興亡(こうぼう)()(かえ)す: to repeat cycles of rise and fall

REGISTER:
Literary/formal. Common in historical writing and academic texts.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 盛衰(せいすい): rise and decline (prosperity and decay)
  • 栄枯(えいこ): prosperity and decline

Related Words