also: おんごく
noun
distant land; remote country
General term for a faraway country or region; can be used in both literal and figurative contexts.
彼は遠国から来た商人だ。
He is a merchant from a distant land.
遠国での生活は想像以上に大変だった。
Life in a remote country was harder than I imagined.
noun
province far from the capital
Historical term referring to a province distant from the imperial capital (Kyoto); often used in pre-modern contexts.
平安時代、遠国に赴任する役人も多かった。
In the Heian period, many officials were posted to provinces far from the capital.
Compound of 遠 (en, 'distant') and 国 (koku, 'country'). The reading おんごく is an older Sino-Japanese reading.