地方

• Reading: ちほう
• Romaji: chihou
• Kanji breakdown: 地 (chi) — ground, land; 方 (hou) — direction, area
• Pronunciation: /tɕi.hoː/

Meaning

Region; area; locality. An area outside major cities, or a general geographic region.

A noun with two main uses: (1) a geographic region like 関東地方 (Kantou chihou, Kantō region) or 東北地方 (Touhoku chihou, Tōhoku region), and (2) rural areas as opposed to cities, as in 地方に住む (chihou ni sumu, to live in the countryside). Also used in 地方自治体 (chihou jichitai, local government).

Examples

1. 天気予報によると、関東地方は明日雨だそうだ。 According to the weather forecast, the Kanto region will have rain tomorrow.
2. 彼女は地方の小さな町で育った。 She grew up in a small town in the countryside.
3. 地方から東京に出てきて五年になる。 It's been five years since I moved to Tokyo from the countryside.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, weather, demographics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 地 (chi, ground/land) and 方 (hou, direction/area). A Sino-Japanese compound meaning the direction or area of a given land.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal