Japanese word

報復

Pronunciation

Romajihōfuku

Meaning

  • nounretaliation

Example

その国は攻撃への報復を発表しました。so no kuni wa kō geki e no hō fuku o hap pyō shi ma shi ta

That country announced retaliation for the attack.

Illustration for 報復 (retaliation)

More examples

その指導者は、報復よりも和解を望んでいます。so no shi dō sha wa hō fuku yo ri mo wa kai o nozo n de i ma su

The leader wants reconciliation rather than retaliation.

Core concept

Describes answering harm or an attack with an action intended to impose comparable harm or pressure.

Common phrases

  • 報復を避けるhō fuku o sa ke ru

    avoid retaliation

  • 報復の連鎖hō fuku no ren sa

    cycle of retaliation

Similar words

仕返しshikaeshi: An act of harming or troubling someone in response to harm they have caused.
復讐fukushū: An act of deliberately harming someone in response to a serious wrong or injury.
反撃hangeki: An attack or other forceful action made against an attacker in response to an attack.

Definition in Japanese

他者から受けた攻撃や害に対し、同様の行為を返して対抗すること。ta sha ka ra u ke ta kō geki ya gai ni tai shi dō yō no kō i o kae shi te tai kō su ru ko to

Word origin

報復 (hōfuku) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 報 (hō, "requite") and 復 (fuku, "return"), expressing a returned response to harm.

Usage tips

  • English news often uses retaliation for state actions such as retaliatory sanctions or tariffs, so the word can describe economic measures as well as military responses.

Other meanings

  • reprisalnoun
  • revengenoun
  • retributionnoun

Opposites

  • 和解wakaireconciliationnoun

Related words

  • 報復的hōfukutekiretaliatoryna-adjective

Word lists with this word