望郷

• Reading: ぼうきょう
• Romaji: bōkyō
• Kanji breakdown: 望 (bo) — gaze toward, hope; 郷 (kyo) — hometown, native village
• Pronunciation: /boː.kjoː/

Meaning

Homesickness; a deep longing for one's hometown or native land.

A literary noun conveying intense emotional yearning for one's place of origin — the sights, relationships, and sense of belonging associated with home. More elevated in register than 郷愁, 望郷 appears in poetry, literature, and reflective prose about exile, migration, or prolonged absence. 望郷の念 (the yearning for home) is a common set phrase.

Examples

1. 海外赴任が三年を超えると、望郷の念がひとしお強くなった。 After more than three years stationed overseas, his homesickness grew stronger than ever.
2. 彼女の歌声には、故郷を離れた者だけが知る望郷の哀愁が滲んでいた。 In her singing voice there was a melancholy homesickness that only those who have left their homeland can know.
3. 戦地の兵士たちは望郷を胸に秘め、再会を誓い合った。 The soldiers on the battlefield kept their longing for home hidden in their hearts, pledging to one another that they would meet again.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, travel, migration, nostalgia

Tone: wistful

Origin & History

Compound of 望 (to gaze toward, to hope) and 郷 (hometown, native village). The combination evokes the image of gazing back toward one's roots — a longing as much visual as emotional.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated