復活
ふっかつ · fukkatsu · JLPT N1 · noun
gram
復 (return) + 活 (alive) = return to life, so fukkatsu means revival
復 means return or repeat, and 活 means alive or living. Together they give revival or restoration, including a musical being staged again. The meaning follows directly from the parts.
活 — water radical 氵 + tongue 舌
Originally a phono-semantic compound: 氵 (water) suggests flowing or liveliness, while 舌 (tongue) hints at the sound. Early forms depicted gushing water, conveying the idea of being lively or alive. The meaning broadened from 'flowing water' to 'living, alive, active.'