高度成長

• Reading: こうどせいちょう
• Romaji: kōdoseichō
• Kanji breakdown: 高 (kō/taka) — high; 度 (do) — degree, level; 成 (sei/na) — to become; 長 (chō/naga) — growth, long
• Pronunciation: /koː.do.seː.tɕoː/

Meaning

Rapid economic growth; high economic growth. Most specifically refers to Japan's extraordinary postwar economic expansion from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

A historical and economic noun most closely associated with Japan's high-growth period (高度経済成長期, c. 1954–1973), during which Japan achieved double-digit annual GDP growth. This era transformed Japan into a leading industrial power. The term can also be used more broadly for rapid growth in other countries or sectors, but its primary cultural resonance is Japanese.

Examples

1. 高度成長期には多くの農村から都市へ人口が流入した。 During the period of rapid economic growth, large numbers of people migrated from rural areas to cities.
2. 高度成長を支えたのは勤勉な労働者と絶え間ない技術革新だ。 Rapid economic growth was supported by diligent workers and constant technological innovation.
3. バブル崩壊後、日本は高度成長の時代が終わったことを実感した。 After the bubble burst, Japan came to realize that the era of rapid economic growth had ended.

Usage Guide

Context: economics, Japanese history, postwar Japan, social studies

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 高度 (high level, high degree) and 成長 (growth, development). The full term 高度経済成長 is commonly abbreviated to 高度成長 in historical and journalistic discourse.

Cultural Context

Era: Postwar (1954–1973)

Generation: Adults and elderly

Social background: Universal