カ国こく

か

こ

く

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

counter for countries

Used after a number to count countries, e.g., 3カ国 (three countries). The small カ/ヶ is a counter particle, not the katakana for 'ka'.

この条じょう約やくは50カ国こく以い上じょうが批ひ准じゅんしている。
This treaty has been ratified by more than 50 countries.
来らい月げつ、3ヶ国かこくを訪ほう問もんする予よ定ていだ。
Next month I plan to visit three countries.

See all 38 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈数かず〉カ国こくから〈動どう詞し〉from [number] countries (doing something)
このイベントには20カ国こくから参さん加か者しゃが集あつまった。
Participants gathered from 20 countries for this event.
〈数かず〉カ国こくを訪おとずれるto visit [number] countries
彼かれは仕し事ごとでこれまでに30カ国こくを訪おとずれたことがある。
He has visited 30 countries for work so far.

Grammar

一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつnumbers and countersN5

Kanji

国country
箇counter for articles

Don't confuse with

ヶか月げつN3
カ国 counts countries while か月 counts months, but both use the same small か/ヶ counter particle and are easy to mix up in writing.

Written forms

カ国こくUsage44%
Standard spelling in modern Japanese; the small katakana カ is the most common way to write the counter か.
か国こくUsage35%
Hiragana spelling, sometimes used in less formal writing.
ヵ国かこくUsage12%
Variant with small katakana ヵ; less common than カ or ヶ.
ヶ国かこくUsage9%
Also very common; the small katakana ケ is read as か in this counter context.
箇か国こくUsage<1%
Kanji spelling using 箇; now obsolete in this counter usage.
ケ国かこくUsage<1%
Full-size katakana ケ; occasionally seen but nonstandard.

Etymology

The counter か/ヶ originates from the kanji 箇, which was used as a generic counter in classical Chinese. Over time, the character was simplified to the small katakana カ or ヶ, and it is now read as か in this context.