Translation guide
Expresses the idea of returning to full health or original condition after illness, injury, or setback. Japanese uses different words and patterns depending on whether the focus is on the medical outcome, the process, or a figurative comeback.
To say someone has completely recovered from an illness or injury.
The most direct and common word for a complete medical recovery. Often used in formal or written contexts, but also in speech.
医者から全快したと言われました。
The doctor told me I have made a complete recovery.
全快まであと少しです。
I'm almost fully recovered.
A natural, everyday way to say 'to heal completely'. 治る is an intransitive verb meaning 'to get better'.
風邪が完全に治った。
My cold has completely gone away.
怪我が完全に治るまで運動は控えてください。
Please refrain from exercise until your injury has completely healed.
Similar to 全快 but often used in medical contexts to mean 'complete cure'. Slightly more technical.
この病気は完治が難しい。
This disease is difficult to cure completely.
A colloquial and warm way to say 'get completely better'. すっかり means 'completely' or 'entirely'.
おかげさまで、すっかり良くなりました。
Thanks to you, I've completely recovered.
To express that someone has bounced back emotionally or psychologically.
Means 'to get back on one's feet' emotionally or mentally. Often used after a shock, failure, or depression.
彼は失恋から完全に立ち直った。
He has completely recovered from his heartbreak.
立ち直るのに時間がかかった。
It took time to recover completely.
Literally 'regain one's energy/spirit'. Used when someone recovers their usual cheerfulness or motivation.
やっと元気を取り戻しました。
I've finally recovered my spirits.
To say that something non-physical has returned to its original good state.
The most general term for recovery of any kind: economy, trust, condition. 回復 is a noun/する-verb.
経済が完全に回復するには数年かかるだろう。
It will take several years for the economy to make a complete recovery.
彼の信用は完全に回復した。
His reputation has completely recovered.
Transitive verb meaning 'to rebuild' or 'to put back on track'. Used for companies, teams, or systems.
To say that digital data has been fully restored.
Used for restoring data, files, or systems to their original state.
削除したファイルを完全に復元できた。
I was able to completely recover the deleted files.
Less common; sometimes used in IT contexts for full system recovery.
システムの全回復には時間がかかる。
A complete recovery of the system will take time.
全快 (ぜんかい) is specifically about a person's full recovery from illness/injury. 完治 (かんち) emphasizes the medical 'cure' aspect. 回復 (かいふく) is the broadest term and can be used for health, economy, trust, etc. For personal health, 全快 or 完全に治る are safest.
The English phrase 'complete recovery' is often rendered as 完全な回復, but this can sound unnatural or overly literal. Use the specific terms above depending on context.
会社を完全に立て直した。
He completely turned the company around.