盛衰

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 盛衰(せいすい) brings together prosperity and decline in the idea of a rise and fall.
• Basic usage: It describes tracing the port city's rise and fall through old photographs.
  • 港町の盛衰を、古い写真でたどった。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Changing numbers and changing fortunes
  • 増減(ぞうげん) refers to numerical increases and decreases. 盛衰 focuses on the changing fortunes of a city, industry, or similar subject.
• Tracing changing fortunes
  • 盛衰をたどる means to trace the course of a rise and fall. Its scope is broader than 衰退(すいたい), which focuses on decline.