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Here is the sentence:

> 約{やく}３００年{ねん}前{まえ}の絵{かい}画{が}の `＿＿` が終{お}わり、～。

This sentence fragment is taken from JLPT1 test book. And there you have to
pick one correct answer from 4 words to fill in the blank:

  1. 回復
  2. 修復
  3. 復旧
  4. 復興

The correct answer is 修復, which means "repair", "restoration".

But the meanings of the other three are almost the same. What I want to know
is the differences between these words and when each should be used?
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question
usage meaning jlpt
Difference between 回復【かいふく】, 修復【しゅうふく】, 復旧【ふっきゅう】 and 復興【ふっこう】
While I cannot guarantee this answer, using the help of Rikaichan, it appears
there are slight differences between each word. The correct answer makes
sense, if I read each of them as I assume they are to be read.

回復 is often used for general purpose healing. Think of a person recovering
from a sickness. 回復 is often used for healing in video games, if that helps
you.

修復 means "restoration, repair, or mending." If I am to understand the given
sentence, it is discussing the repair, mending, fixing, etc. of a picture from
over 300 years ago.

復旧 means "restoration, restitution, or rehabilitation." This would likely be
my second choice, but "restitution" and "rehabilitation" make me believe this
is more likely to be used in other contexts.

復興 means "revival, renaissance, reconstruction, or restoration." I imagine
this is more of an abstract concept. Think of time periods where lots of
destruction occurs, and life slowly regains its natural state. That is more so
the "revival" or "restoration" I would think.

Of course, this is my pure conjecture, and I do not believe I could even pass
JLPT2, but this question seemed to make sense to me. Take it as you will!
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answer
回復 is a general word for recovery, though it's often used for economics,
healing from injuries / diseases, and the weather getting better:

> [景気]{けいき}の回復が[急務]{きゅうむ}とされている。  
>  [怪我]{けが}のほうもすっかり回復しました。  
>  [台風]{たいふう}は[今夜中]{こんやじゅう}に[抜]{ぬ}けて、[明日]{あした}にはお[天気]{てんき}も回復する[見込]{みこ}みです。

修復 is used mostly for artifact restorations (like in the question) and
relationships:

> もう[関係]{かんけい}を修復するのは[難]{むずか}しいだろうな。

復旧 and 復興 has been used frequently after the earthquake / tsunami / Fukushima
Accident in 2011. In this context, 復旧 is used for recovery of lifelines and
roads. 復興 is used in far more long-term sense, which is, resettlement of
evacuated people and rebuilding local communities that are lost in the
disaster (try search Google Images with 復興).

To add one more word to them, [修理]{しゅうり} is for repairing cars, electrical
products, etc.

* * *

One more point. when used as する-verbs, 回復 and 復旧 are intransitive (used in the
form of ～が◯◯する), whereas 修復 and 修理 are transitive (used as ～を◯◯する). 復興 may be
used in both ways. 回復/復旧/復興 can be used transitively in the form of ～を◯◯させる.
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answer