復刻

• Reading: ふっこく
• Romaji: fukkoku
• Kanji breakdown: 復 (fuku/mata) — return, revive, restore; 刻 (koku/kiza) — engrave, carve, reproduce
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯk.ko.kɯ/

Meaning

Reprint; reproduction; reissue. The act of republishing or reproducing an out-of-print work, often in its original form.

Used as both a noun and a suru-verb (復刻する). A 復刻版 (fukkoku-ban) is a reprint edition, often produced to commemorate an anniversary or respond to renewed interest. The term implies fidelity to the original, distinguishing it from a revised edition or new adaptation. Common in publishing, music, and product design.

Examples

1. 長らく絶版だった文学全集が復刻され、多くの読者が歓喜した。 A long out-of-print literary anthology was reprinted, to the delight of many readers.
2. その雑誌の復刻版は初号の装丁を忠実に再現しており、収集家の間で話題になった。 The reprint edition of the magazine faithfully reproduced the cover design of the first issue and became a talking point among collectors.
3. 名作の復刻にあたり、初版に含まれていた誤字もあえてそのまま残す判断がなされた。 When reprinting the masterwork, the decision was made to deliberately preserve even the typographical errors found in the first edition.

Usage Guide

Context: publishing, literature, music, collecting, cultural heritage

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 復 (fuku, to return/restore) and 刻 (koku, to engrave/carve). The combination suggests the carving of printing blocks anew — restoring a work by re-engraving it for reproduction.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: General