県

• Reading: けん
• Romaji: ken
• Kanji breakdown: 県 (ken) — prefecture, district
• Pronunciation: /ke.n/

Meaning

Prefecture. An administrative division of Japan, similar to a state or province.

A noun and suffix designating one of Japan's 47 prefectures. Used after a name to form a prefecture's full title, such as 千葉県 (Chiba-ken) or 愛知県 (Aichi-ken). Note that Tokyo uses 都 (to), Osaka and Kyoto use 府 (fu), and Hokkaido uses 道 (dou) instead of 県.

Examples

1. 私の出身は静岡県です。 I'm originally from Shizuoka Prefecture.
2. この県は果物の生産で有名だ。 This prefecture is famous for its fruit production.
3. 来月から隣の県に引っ越す予定だ。 I'm planning to move to the neighboring prefecture next month.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, government, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 県 originally depicted a severed head hung as a display, symbolizing authority over a region. Its meaning shifted over time to denote an administrative district under central authority.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal