郷愁

• Reading: きょうしゅう
• Romaji: kyoushuu
• Kanji breakdown: 郷 (kyō) — hometown, native place; 愁 (shū) — grief, melancholy, sorrow
• Pronunciation: /kjoː.ɕɯː/

Meaning

Nostalgia; homesickness. A longing for one's homeland or the past.

A literary noun expressing a deep, sentimental yearning for one's hometown, homeland, or a bygone era. More poetic and literary than ホームシック (homesickness). Often used in essays, literature, and music. Frequently appears with verbs like 感じる (feel), 覚える (experience), and 誘う (evoke).

Examples

1. 故郷の風景を見ると郷愁を感じる。 Seeing the scenery of my hometown fills me with nostalgia.
2. 古い写真が郷愁を誘った。 Old photos stirred up a sense of nostalgia.
3. 海外に長く住んでいると郷愁に駆られることがある。 Living abroad for a long time can sometimes leave you overcome with homesickness.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, personal reflection, travel

Tone: sentimental

Origin & History

Compound of 郷 (hometown, native place) + 愁 (grief, melancholy). Literally 'hometown grief,' capturing the bittersweet longing for home. A classical Sino-Japanese compound with deep literary roots.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal