Refers to the cyclical flourishing and decline of nations, civilizations, organizations, or other large-scale entities. Often used in historical or analytical contexts.
History has repeated the rise and fall of nations.
This book describes the rise and fall of the Roman Empire in detail.
Compound of 興 (こう, 'to rise, flourish') and 亡 (ぼう, 'to perish, fall'). The reading こうぼう follows standard on'yomi. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used in classical Chinese and Japanese texts to describe the cyclical nature of states and institutions.