郊
outskirts, suburbs, rural area
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
郊 centers on the area just outside a city: the outskirts, suburbs, or rural fringe where urban and countryside meet.
Most common words using 郊
- 郊外こうがいN4
suburb; residential area on the outskirt of a city; commuter belt
- 近郊きんこうN2
outskirts; environs (of a city); surrounding area; surroundings
- 北郊ほっこう
northern suburbs
- 南郊なんこう
southern suburbs
- 断郊だんこう
cross-country
- 断郊競走だんこうきょうそう
cross-country race
- 春郊しゅんこう
suburbs in springtime; fields in springtime
- 東郊とうこう
eastern suburbs
- 西郊せいこう
western suburb
- 近郊農業きんこうのうぎょう
agriculture in urban areas
- 近郊都市きんこうとし
neighboring towns; neighbouring towns
- 遠郊えんこう
area remote from the city; outlying area
- 郊外化こうがいか
suburbanization
- 郊外居住者こうがいきょじゅうしゃ
suburbanite; suburban resident
- 郊外生活こうがいせいかつ
suburban life; life in the suburbs
- 郊外電車こうがいでんしゃ
suburban train
- 郊野こうの
suburban fields
Study
Etymology
郊 combines 交 (exchange, mix) with ⻏ (village, place). The original idea likely relates to the area where city and countryside meet or mix, i.e., the outskirts.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 交 suggests crossing or mixing, and the right side ⻏ is a village. Picture the mixed zone where city streets cross into village paths: the outskirts.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a cow wandering from the village into the outskirts: cow -> コウ, and the cow is crossing the boundary.