<p>On page 631 of 王力's 《古代汉语2》,</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/pSmV7.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pSmV7.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lnRyA.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lnRyA.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>That is</p>
<p>1.重複、複雜</p>
<p>2.反復</p>
<p>3.覆蓋</p>
<p>1 and 2 both simplified to 复 according to the current simplified Chinese characters standard.</p>
<p>By an earlier standard (invalid now), 覆 is also simplified to 复. So you might also find 复 used for 3 in earlier publications.</p>
<hr />
<p>《汉字源流字典》
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/N9xbA.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/N9xbA.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Accordingly, 復 and 複 both derived from 复. That is along the semantic evolution of 复, some of its meanings were assigned to its derivatives 復 and 複 to reduce ambiguity.</p>
<hr />
<p>（《漢語變調構詞考辨》）
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/v9KL8.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/v9KL8.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>The original meaning of 覆 is to pour. Therefore 覆 is etymologically different from, though still related to, the 復, 複, 复 group. 復 is both a semantic and a phonetic component of the glyph 覆.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-10T00:51:57.087Z
2023-02-10T01:40:51.230Z
2023-02-10T01:40:51.230Z
lilysirius
<p>For simplified Chinese, all three words can be represented by “复”, however, traditionally each does have its own meaning and specific uses.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%A6%86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">覆</a> -</strong> tip over; cover; reply. 同“复”.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BE%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">復</a> -</strong> return; restore; repeatedly. 同“复”;  通“覆”; 通“複”; 通“腹”.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%A4%87" rel="nofollow noreferrer">複</a> -</strong>  repeat; double; overlap.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-10T02:00:29.127Z
2023-02-10T02:00:29.127Z
r13
<p>What is with the characters 覆, 復, 複, 复? Are they all the same? They appears to have overlapping meanings in dictionaries but not 100% equivalent for some reason.</p>
<p>Normally characters may have 1 tradition and 1 simplified... Though I'm not sure what the relationship of the mentioned chars above is such.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-10T00:24:35.857Z
覆, 復, 複 are traditional characters, look them up in a dictionary, and you can find the difference,  The fourth character 复 is the simplified version of 復 and 複
Tang Ho
<mandarin><characters>
What is with the characters 覆, 復, 複, 复? Are they all the same ? They appears to have overlapping meanings in dictionaries but not 100% equivalent
# What is with the characters 覆, 復, 複, 复? Are they all the same ? They appears to have overlapping meanings in dictionaries but not 100% equivalent

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-10)

What is with the characters 覆, 復, 複, 复? Are they all the same? They appears to have overlapping meanings in dictionaries but not 100% equivalent for some reason.

Normally characters may have 1 tradition and 1 simplified... Though I'm not sure what the relationship of the mentioned chars above is such.

**Tags:** mandarin, characters
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 覆, 復, 複 are traditional characters, look them up in a dictionary, and you can find the difference,  The fourth character 复 is the simplified version of 復 and 複  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-02-10. Score: 3

On page 631 of 王力's 《古代汉语2》,

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/pSmV7.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/pSmV7.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/lnRyA.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/lnRyA.png)

That is

1.重複、複雜

2.反復

3.覆蓋

1 and 2 both simplified to 复 according to the current simplified Chinese characters standard.

By an earlier standard (invalid now), 覆 is also simplified to 复. So you might also find 复 used for 3 in earlier publications.

---

《汉字源流字典》
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/N9xbA.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/N9xbA.png)

Accordingly, 復 and 複 both derived from 复. That is along the semantic evolution of 复, some of its meanings were assigned to its derivatives 復 and 複 to reduce ambiguity.

---

（《漢語變調構詞考辨》）
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/v9KL8.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/v9KL8.png)

The original meaning of 覆 is to pour. Therefore 覆 is etymologically different from, though still related to, the 復, 複, 复 group. 復 is both a semantic and a phonetic component of the glyph 覆.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-02-10. Score: 0

For simplified Chinese, all three words can be represented by “复”, however, traditionally each does have its own meaning and specific uses.

**[覆](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%A6%86) -** tip over; cover; reply. 同“复”.

**[復](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BE%A9) -** return; restore; repeatedly. 同“复”; 通“覆”; 通“複”; 通“腹”.

**[複](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E8%A4%87) -** repeat; double; overlap.


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