興(おこ)す

おこす
verb, godan
to start (a business); to revive; to establish
1. to start; to establish; to found
To launch or found something new, especially a business, organization, or movement.
父(ちち)は若(わか)くして事業(じぎょう)を興(おこ)した。
My father started a business when he was young.
ゼロから会社(かいしゃ)を興(おこ)すのは簡単(かんたん)ではない。
Starting a company from scratch is not easy.
仲間(なかま)と一緒(いっしょ)にNPOを興(おこ)して、地域(ちいき)の問題(もんだい)に取(と)り組(く)んでいる。
I founded an NPO with friends and am working on local issues.
2. to revive; to restore
To bring something back to a prosperous or active state after a period of decline.
衰退(すいたい)した産業(さんぎょう)を興(おこ)す。
To revive a declining industry.
観光(かんこう)で町(まち)を興(おこ)そうという計画(けいかく)が持(も)ち上(あ)がった。
A plan was proposed to revitalize the town through tourism.
戦後(せんご)の荒廃(こうはい)から国(くに)を興(おこ)すために、多(おお)くの人(ひと)が力(ちから)を合(あ)わせた。
Many people joined forces to rebuild the nation from the devastation of the postwar period.

興(おこ)す is a transitive godan verb. It is distinct from 起(お)こす (to wake someone up, to cause), which is written with a different kanji.

ASPECT (ている):
興(おこ)している indicates an ongoing process of establishing or reviving something.

PARTICLE PATTERNS:

  • 事業(じぎょう)を興(おこ)す (start a business)
  • 国(くに)を興(おこ)す (found/revive a nation)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 事業(じぎょう)を興(おこ)す (start a business)
  • 産業(さんぎょう)を興(おこ)す (establish/revive an industry)
  • 国(くに)を興(おこ)す (build/revive a nation)

Often appears in compound forms like 再興(さいこう) (revival) and 振興(しんこう) (promotion). The kanji 興(おこ) carries the sense of prosperity and flourishing.

general
Added 2026.2.27 18:09
14000/14000_okosu