Refers to the cyclical flourishing and decline of nations, civilizations, organizations, or other large-scale entities. Often used in historical or analytical contexts.
歴史は国家の興亡を繰り返してきた。
History has repeated the rise and fall of nations.
この本はローマ帝国の興亡を詳しく描いている。
This book describes the rise and fall of the Roman Empire in detail.
興亡 describes the historical rise and fall of a nation or dynasty over time, while 存亡 is more about a critical moment of continued existence versus extinction.
rise and fall of nations; peace and war, prosperity and decline
rise and fall; ups and downs; vicissitudes
rise and fall; prosperity and decline; vicissitudes
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.