国
Meanings
The basic modern meaning: a politically organized country or state. In ordinary speech 国 is broader and more everyday than 国家.
Japan is an island country.
He has traveled through many countries.
Used more broadly for a land or region, especially in descriptive compounds or somewhat literary expressions rather than as an administrative term.
In snowy regions, winter life takes some ingenuity.
Beyond the mountains was a land with different speech and customs.
national government; central government
Refers to the state as an actor, especially the national or central government, as opposed to local governments or private organizations.
This road is managed by the national government.
The government announced new support measures.
Used from the speaker's or subject's viewpoint for the place one belongs to or comes from. 国に帰る commonly means returning to one's home country; for a hometown within Japan, 故郷 or 田舎 is often more explicit.
When my study abroad ends, I will return to my home country.
She calls her family back home every week.
province of old Japan
Historical term for a premodern Japanese province, as in 武蔵国 or 山城国. This is tied to older administrative divisions, not modern prefectures.
See also: 国郡里制
Musashi Province was in the area of present-day Tokyo and Saitama.
The old document says “Yamashiro Province.”
Archaic or mythological use for land or earth itself, rather than a modern country. It is now mainly encountered in old texts, mythology, or explanations of fixed expressions.
In the mythological term 国生み, 国 refers to land or islands.
Usage patterns
- 国に帰るto return to one's home country
I'm planning to go back to my home country during summer vacation.
- 国を出るto leave one's country
He left his country to look for work.
- 国を守るto defend/protect one's country
The military exists to defend the country.
- 国が滅びるfor a nation/country to fall or perish
Many empires collapsed because of war.
- 国が決めるfor the (national) government to decide something
That policy is something the national government decides.