rise and fall; ebb and flow; vicissitudes
A formal, somewhat literary compound describing the cyclical waxing and waning of things, such as fortunes, power, or natural phenomena. Often used in historical or philosophical contexts.
History is a repetition of the rise and fall of nations.
この地域の経済は消長盛衰を繰り返してきた。
The economy of this region has repeatedly experienced booms and busts.
Very similar four-character compound meaning 'ups and downs of life' or 'vicissitudes of fortune'. 栄枯盛衰 is more common and focuses on personal or worldly fortunes, while 消長盛衰 is slightly more abstract and can apply to broader cycles.
A shorter, more common word for 'rise and fall' or 'prosperity and decline'. 消長盛衰 is more emphatic and literary.
A yojijukugo (four-character compound) combining 消長 (waxing and waning) and 盛衰 (prosperity and decline), both of which are themselves paired opposites. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of reinforcing meaning through synonymous pairs.