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Kotomora

国

country

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 100Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • コク

Kun'yomi

  • くに

Nanori

  • くな
  • こ

Meaning

国 centers on a defined territory with its own identity: a country or nation. The meaning is straightforward and concrete.

Most common words using 国

24 of 2,357
  • 国くに
    N4

    country; state

  • 中国ちゅうごく
    N5

    China

  • 韓国かんこく
    N5

    South Korea; Republic of Korea

  • 全国ぜんこく
    N3

    the whole country

  • 国内こくない
    N4

    within the country; inside the county; domestic; home; internal

  • 国民こくみん
    N3

    people (of a country); nation; citizen; national

  • 国家こっか
    N2

    state; country; nation

  • 国際こくさい
    N4

    international

  • 外国がいこく
    N5

    foreign country

  • 米国べいこく

    (United States of) America; USA; US

  • 国会こっかい
    N3

    National Diet; legislative assembly of Japan (1947-)

  • 帝国ていこく
    N1

    empire

  • 王国おうこく
    N1

    kingdom; monarchy

  • 国立こくりつ
    N3

    national; founded and run by the central government

  • 英国えいこく

    United Kingdom; Britain; Great Britain

  • 天国てんごく
    N2

    paradise; heaven; Kingdom of Heaven

  • 国境こっきょう
    N3

    border (between countries); national border

  • 戦国せんごく

    country in civil war; country disarrayed by war

  • 国籍こくせき
    N2

    nationality; citizenship

  • 各国かっこく
    N1

    each country; every country; various countries; all countries

  • 国連こくれん
    N1

    United Nations; UN

  • 国王こくおう
    N2

    king; queen; monarch; sovereign

  • 帰国きこく
    N4

    return to one's country

  • 四国しこく

    Shikoku (smallest of the four main islands of Japan)

Explore all words using 国 →

Study

Etymology

国 is the modern simplified form of 國. The older form combines 囗 (enclosure) with 或, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of a territory. The modern form replaces the inner part with 玉 (jewel), a simplification that does not reflect the original component.

Meaning mnemonic

The enclosure 囗 represents borders, and inside is 玉 (jewel). Picture a country as a precious jewel protected within its borders.

Reading mnemonic

For コク, imagine a country shaped like a coke bottle: coke -> コク, and the bottle's outline forms the borders of the nation.