Translation guide
The English verb 'reconstruct' can mean to rebuild something physically, to recreate an event or situation from evidence, or to restore something to an earlier state. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To build again something that was damaged or destroyed, like a building, bridge, or city.
The most common and general word for rebuilding structures or organizations. It implies restoring something to its former state.
I will rebuild the house that was destroyed in the earthquake.
Literally 'rebuild', used for buildings. Slightly more concrete than 再建する.
There is a plan to rebuild the old school building.
Used for large-scale reconstruction, especially after disasters, focusing on revival of a community or area.
Reconstructing the disaster area takes time.
To form a picture or account of something that happened in the past by piecing together information.
To recreate or reproduce a scene, event, or conditions. Common in police work, science, and media.
The police reconstructed the circumstances of the accident.
To restore or reconstruct something to its original form, often based on research or fragments. Used for historical artifacts, fossils, or digital data.
Literally 'assemble'. Can be used metaphorically to reconstruct a story or theory from pieces of information.
To bring back a system, relationship, or condition that existed before.
To rebuild or reform an organization, life, or system that has declined. Focuses on recovery.
We need to reconstruct the company's management.
Formal term for restructuring or rebuilding systems, theories, or relationships. Often used in academic or business contexts.
Reconstruct the theory.
Specifically for restoring services or infrastructure (e.g., power, water, transport) after a disruption.
It took several hours to reconstruct (restore) power after the outage.
再建 is used for individual buildings or organizations, while 復興 is for broader regional or societal recovery, often after a disaster.
再現 focuses on recreating an event or process (like a crime scene), while 復元 is about restoring a physical object or data to its original form.
The archaeologist reconstructed the ancient pot.
Reconstruct the sequence of events from testimonies.