恢复 (huīfù) is a verb meaning 'to recover' or 'to restore' — referring to the process of returning to a previous, normal, or healthy state after illness, damage, disruption, or loss. The character 恢 (huī) conveys 'greatness' or 'fullness', while 复 (fù) means 'again' or 'to return'. Together, they suggest a full, complete return — not just partial improvement but a re-establishment of former condition. It’s commonly used in medical contexts (e.g., recovering from surgery), technological settings (restoring data), and social or environmental domains (restoring relations or ecosystems).

This word implies intentionality and effort: recovery isn’t passive — it often involves treatment, repair, or deliberate action. It’s formal and neutral in register, appropriate in news reports, official documents, and everyday speech when describing meaningful restoration. Unlike simpler verbs like 好 (hǎo, 'to get better'), 恢复 emphasizes structural or functional completeness — for example, regaining full mobility after injury, not just feeling less pain.