国

• Reading: くに
• Romaji: kuni
• Kanji breakdown: 国 (koku/kuni) — country, nation
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ni/

Meaning

Country; state; nation. Used when talking about countries and nationalities.

A noun meaning country or nation. 国 is one of the most versatile kanji in Japanese, appearing in many compounds: 外国 (foreign country), 中国 (China), 国語 (national language). In casual speech, 国 can also mean one's hometown or home region, a usage that dates back to feudal Japan.

Examples

1. どの国から来ましたか。 What country are you from?
2. 日本は安全な国です。 Japan is a safe country.
3. いろいろな国の料理が好きです。 I like food from all kinds of different countries.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, travel, conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 国 depicts a bordered territory (口) with a jewel or treasure (玉) inside, symbolising a protected land of value.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal