hometown; native place; one's home
Refers to the place where one was born or grew up, often with a nostalgic or personal connection. Used in both casual and formal contexts.
He returned to his hometown and started farming.
A letter arrived from my parents back home.
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news sources.
Alternate kanji spelling using 許; less common but still encountered.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; used for clarity or stylistic reasons.
A compound of 国, here one’s home province or domain, and 元, “base” or “place of origin.” The alternative spelling 国許 uses 許 in its sense of a place or vicinity.