復

Originally written as 复 in oracle bone script (甲骨文).

The early form combined:

a shape representing a town gate or enclosure;

止 (foot) shown in reversed form.

The idea conveyed leaving the city gate and returning again, which produced the meaning to return.

Later, in bronze inscriptions (金文), the radical 彳 (“to walk; step”) was added, and 止 gradually changed to 夂. This formed the current character 復, emphasizing the idea of walking back or returning.

Thus, the character became a compound ideograph meaning to go out and then come back again.

Semantic development:

- to return or come back;

- to restore or recover;

- to repeat or do again.

회복 (回復) — recovery; restoration

복구 (復舊) — restoration

복원 (復原) — reconstruction; restoration

부활 (復活) — resurrection

부흥 (復興) — revival; renaissance

The core idea of the character comes from the concept of leaving and then returning again.

Related characters:

回 — to return

返 — to return; give back

再 — again

還 — to return

These characters share meanings related to returning or repetition.

The reading “부 (again)” is rare in Korean and appears mainly in words like 부활 (復活) and 부흥 (復興).